WeeklySA_AdminINJECTIONS:Funding, facilities and crowds are key to athletics
By Molefi Mika
FACE-TO-FACE: In this question-and-answer interview, Athletics South Africa (ASA) president, James Mosebetsi Moloi, a former middle distance and road runner, one of the best in the then Transvaal province, chats with Molefi Mika about his involvement in sports…
When did you start participating in sports, and in which sporting codes in particular?
JMM: I started around 1985 and from the word go I chose Athletics. I actually fell in love with athletics at primary school and since then I’ve never stopped.
Please name some of your best performances.
JMM: I won the Duiwelskloof 21km (half-marathon in the 1990s), I was a runner-up in the Bliss 21km locally but went on to later win the Lens 21km in France and another half-marathon race in Belgium. However, I finished 10th in the same distance out in Philadelphia, America.
Being Soweto-born, you later left and for the East Rand (Ekurhuleni today) by choosing to reside in Vosloorus. What influenced your decision?
JMM: I left Soweto because I wanted a quiet place where one would train with ease.
It’s an open secret that athletics is one of those sporting codes in the country that were earlier besieged by racism, would you agree and if so, why?
JMM: I really agree because, even though as different races, blacks and whites we ran together and our kids were also at school together, yes, things were, nevertheless, not necessarily okay. But that experience helped me to be where I am today. As the newly elected ASA president it seems you also came into office at a time among other things when athletics had not really dealt with the sadness regarding: 1 – Former 800m Olympics champion Caster Semenya’s confusing situation with regard to the supposed study of her medical testosterone levels, something that prevented her from defending her title in Tokyo; 2 – And also long jumper Luvo Manyonga’s ban after not being available for some drug test.
Is there anything at all that ASA is doing in the form of helping these two athletes and what’s the progress like?
JMM: We have challenged the World Athletics on her behalf (Semenya) and the case will be heard next year and Luvo is now attending rehabilitation.
What do you consider to be your major challenges concerning athletics, particularly when it comes to: 1 – Proper facilities and qualified trainers in the rural areas and townships; 2 – Would you say the sport is taken seriously at our schools, if not what are you doing about it; 3 – For most of the above to be achieved an organisation like ASA would have to be enjoying good funding from both Government and sponsors since the sport is largely amateur, how is the situation like for you to realise your goals in this regard?
JMM: We need more facilities in the townships. We need funding for the youth that have qualified for international competitions, funding for camps, and I am pleading with private companies to sponsor our events. If companies can invest in athletics, our athletes can beat the whole World. On the one hand, we will also consistently encourage our provinces to lure young girls and boys to join athletics, the same will be done with the school structures.
No doubt, historically speaking, preparations for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 were the most difficult ever, despite some athletes managing to set world records. However, most performed dismally, including the SA team, particularly considering that crowds were not allowed as a precaution against the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
JMM: I hope all of us will be vaccinated very soon and also hope that the Government will give us the green light to participate and allow the fans to be back to support our events.
*The buoyant Moloi was one of the dignitaries from sports, business and the creative sectors at the FNB Stadium last week, when Deputy President David Mabuza hinted that there was a plan to fully open stadiums and theatres. He mentioned this during a Government vaccination social mobilisation campaign dubbed “Return to Play – It’s in your Hands”.
