Athletics SA board backs off in Comrades fight, calls for SGM to reconsider the matter

Athletics South Africa’s (ASA) board has climbed down on its stance on the Comrades Marathon, calling a special general meeting at short notice to reconsider its stance.

ASA had sided with KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) after the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) withdrew from the provincial body last year.

At the time CMA had requested direct affiliation to ASA, but the national body rejected that and subsequently said it would not recognise the 2027 race and dropped it from its fixtures list.

But under pressure from sport minister Gayton McKenzie, who this week gave his backing to the race organisers, ASA has changed course.

“The board of ASA had to do a lot of introspection and determine what is in the best interests of the sport, especially since it is quite clear that the current impasse between KZNA and CMA is hardly likely to be restored anytime soon,” ASA acting CEO Terrence Magogodela said in a circular to members.

“ASA’s stance has always been that KZNA and CMA should exhaust all efforts to reach agreement and restore the working relationship that prevailed for many years, but the ASA board has now come to the conclusion that for present purposes, that wish may be a bridge too far.”

Magogodela said the board agreed to recommend to its membership “that to the extent CMA previously applied for direct membership to ASA, it is advisable that their application be entertained”.

“The board ... has no alternative but to convene an urgent special general meeting to vote on this issue before the minister announcements on the impasse between the CMA and ASA/KZNA.

“In the circumstances [we] have to waive the 21-day notice period and convene the SGM on Monday at 6.30pm.”

Magogodela made it clear that pressure had been placed on the ASA executive. “It is also important for us to satisfy all stakeholders, especially the government and the department of sport, arts and culture as well as Sascoc [South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee] who were appointed as mediator and advisor to the minister in this regard.”

But it remains to be seen to what extent the CMA would accept ASA’s terms, given that the circular stated that ASA would not “alienate” KZNA “from oversight and a financial interest in the revenue from the hosting of the race”.