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News | National | General

'Game over for Chuene'

LUCKY SINDANE | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Nov 20 2009 10:55
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The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is set to boot suspended athletics boss Leonard Chuene out of his plush seat on the IAAF council, the Mail & Guardian has learned.

The IAAF is expected to announce its decision this weekend during the council meeting, which kicks off on Friday. Chuene was not invited to the meeting.

The fallout between the beleaguered Athletics South Africa (ASA) boss and the IAAF was sparked by the Caster Semenya debacle. Chuene has been under fire since September, after it became clear that he had lied about gender verification tests conducted locally on the 18-year-old 800m world champion before the race in Berlin. Cheune claimed he had not known about the tests.

He has since admitted to lying, but he has resisted calls for his resignation, repeatedly blaming the IAAF for mishandling the Semenya issue and threatening to resign from the IAAF council. He has served on the IAAF council since 1999.

The council meeting will not discuss the results of the gender verification tests it conducted on Semenya, the IAAF announced before the meeting.

Options facing the IAAF are to ban Semenya from all competitions, recommend that she undergoes surgery to level out any advantages over her female counterparts or clear her to run as a woman.

A senior athletics official told the M&G Chuene is paying the price for trying to drag the IAAF into the mud.
"He was screaming in public, telling people that he was going to fight the IAAF for the way they handled the Semenya issue ... It's game over for Chuene."

Last month the M&G published the contents of a confidential report by ASA team doctor Harold Adams, saying that Chuene had told the IAAF medical team in a meeting that "withdrawing Semenya was not acceptable to top-level South African politicians who are also in government". According to Adams, Chuene said that "if the IAAF insisted on Semenya's withdrawal, it would face the wrath of the South African government, because it would not hesitate to take the IAAF to the highest court in the land".

South Africa's Olympic governing body, Sascoc, has suspended Chuene, the ASA board, its general manager, Molatelo Malehopo, events manager Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane and Chuene's personal assistant pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation over their handling of the Semenya issue.

CONTINUES BELOW


But it is unlikely the disciplinary hearing will take place, given the deterioration of ASA. Three board members -- Larraine Lane, Hendrik Mokganyetsi and Chris Britz, who are said to be close to Chuene -- have resigned. More board members are expected to resign soon.

"Sascoc's disciplinary hearing might not even [occur]," the senior athletics official said, "because people are now starting to realise that this is just not worth it ... Chuene's resignation will follow soon as well."

Sascoc has since appointed Ray Mali to administer ASA and appoint an interim board.
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Now this is what I call being pro-active. Well done SASCOC. Now do you think we can get some of this to rubb off on our own government so they too can fire all and anybody caught stealing koekies, instead of paying them large sums of money to leave. The scary part of all this, and its an opinion, is that I suspect if this was about Rands and cents theft, they probably would not have been fired. It was more about peoples ego's and personal pride, embarrassment, that it all came out.
Apocalypse Now on November 20, 2009, 1:57 pm
Good move we don't need people embarrassing our country and athletes
Fed up on November 20, 2009, 2:04 pm
Mr Cheune must just accept defeat on this matter as he dont have legs to stand on. The way he handled the matter was totally embarrasing and having to lie to the people of South Africa was another blow in the face for him. In my culture, you are not allow to tell elder people that they lied, but for Mr Chuene I can simple say he did. I just think he fighting a losing battle and the way he continue to drag this matter on the more embarrasing is unveilling for him.
Lucky M on November 20, 2009, 2:21 pm
So, Chuene was farting against thunder with his threats against the IAAF. He is a disgrace and deserves what he has sowed for himself. Good riddance to bad rubbish. ASA and everyone associated with athletics will be much better off without him.
Les Wil on November 20, 2009, 2:24 pm
Still awaiting apologies from Chuene, Malema and all the others at the pig trough for their insults. But that won't come of course since according to the majority all the other races are only invitees to this country who should not have been here in the first place.
Joseph Savon on November 20, 2009, 2:33 pm
Wonder where Chuene will be redeployed to?
moloko moloko on November 20, 2009, 2:37 pm
Chuene is the first of the 'race card' users, to have it backfire on him. Good riddance.

Malema should apologise. To white South Africans, and to Nedbank. But he wount. Even his Jansen flip flop, was somehow spun to suit juju.

When you believe the lies of 'leaders', and follow them without questioning, you will end up jumping off a cliff.
Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 20, 2009, 2:41 pm
hahahahah Moloko, that is exactly what I was thinking. This doos will probably be moved to Armscor.
Apocalypse Now on November 20, 2009, 3:16 pm
The first of many boots in the proverbial I hope ...
Ray Ives on November 20, 2009, 3:32 pm
Chuene is going to Eskom. You guys must read the Sunday Time the story will be there.
African Mzansi on November 20, 2009, 3:37 pm
Remeber how Chuene was shouting at the airport on their return that he is cancelling ASA's membership of the IAAF. Had to swallow his words (like so many other cadres recently).
Andre Scheepers on November 20, 2009, 4:27 pm
Yip, another graduate from the Julius Malema School of Charm....
Jacqui Rennie on November 20, 2009, 4:42 pm
Yeah Moloko, I suspect he may get the ESKOM CEO job now
Johan Scheepers on November 20, 2009, 4:43 pm
I forgot, Kaya's position at SAA has not been filled yet and I think the glamour of an Airline would suit Chuene's image better
Johan Scheepers on November 20, 2009, 4:47 pm
Please tell me, i did not read the article to busy to read this rubbish. Will he be getting "Golden Handshake" or Copper Hand shake?

Well done. Thanks to you all for a change, not to comment racially or insult our leaders.
THEMBA NDLAZI on November 20, 2009, 5:20 pm
Chuene and the rest of those buffoons will now learn that South Africa is but a grain of seasand in the grand scheme of things in the world. The rest of the world don't give a damn about our leaders and politics, they will treat us with the same diplomacywe treat them with. Bunch of idiots that think the world is South Africa!!!!!
Tiger Lily on November 20, 2009, 6:15 pm
What gets me is Chuene actually thought he was so powerful that he could tell the IAAF what the rules of the game are. Most south africans still do, but it is just isolating yourself, if you don't play by the rules you must go and play by yourself. If he is an example of what walks around in the upper circles I think SA is just going to isolate itself further.
white trash on November 20, 2009, 6:45 pm
I mean, how can they still think Semenya must keep the medal and continue competing if she does not have her testes removed? I would like to see the government take the IAAF to the highest courts for this, they obviously do not have better things to do with their time and money
white trash on November 20, 2009, 6:49 pm
Another tired story - get rid of the scum and move on !
on November 21, 2009, 7:07 am
It's quite OK to insult our leaders if they do not behave with dignity and make fools of themselves. They cause untold harm to the country and its people.
George S on November 22, 2009, 12:59 pm
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