Sam faces claims of irregular conduct

SASCOC president Gideon Sam has been accused of highly improper, grossly irregular and negligent behaviour to shelter a friend by ignoring a report into a member federation.

This came to light on the second day of the ministerial inquiry into governance issues at the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

During his submissions lawyer David Becker alleged that Sascoc and Sam ignored damning findings in a report into the SA Sports and Fitness Federation (Sasaff ) that was released two years ago.

An inquiry initiated by Sascoc and led by advocate Alex Pullinger in 2013 had found Sasaff to be guilty of intimidation of minors, discriminatory conduct, manipulation of scoring, maladministration in the award of Protea Colours.

Sasaff president Keith Barends was implicated with the Pullinger Report finding “that the relationship between the national and provincial federations and the overlap between the office bearers to be ‘prima facie corrupt.’”

Becker said his clients Dr George van Rensburg and Lyn Earley‚ a former Sasaff office bearer, submitted that the failure to properly address the report was because of Sam’s personal friendship with Barends.

“According to a source within Sascoc who has communicated with the complainants in confidence, Sam advised in a meeting that, despite the contents of the Pullinger Report, Sascoc would not be taking any steps against Sasaff,” Becker said.

The same source has confirmed to the complainants that Sam elected to deal with the matter personally and that it was not dealt with by the board of Sascoc.

Becker said Sascoc neglected its duties by not dealing with the report while it had not confirmed over a period of three years whether it had taken its finding into consideration.

Meanwhile, South African athletes that were on Sascoc’s funding programme may have to wait for the umbrella body to lift a contractual muzzle if they wanted to make submissions at the ministerial inquiry.

SAM ADVISED IN A MEETING THAT, SASCOC WOULD NOT BE TAKING ANY STEPS AGAINST SASAFF