Du Toit praises vocal Khotso

Sascoc’s selection policy under fire

The outspokenness of Khotso Mokoena has actually helped in some way at a time when the Athletes Commission had little say on the board of the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) in the matters that directly affect the athletes.

This is according to Paralympic icon Natalie du Toit, shortly after she testified before the Zulman Committee of Inquiry into Sascoc governance matters yesterday.

Du Toit told the inquiry that no Athletes Commission has ever worked before at Sascoc, so, change was urgently needed.

“[Mokoena] is one of those people who want to make a difference, and I didn’t accept it [Mokoena’s threats of quitting],” Du Toit said.

“If it wasn’t for Khotso speaking out about the challenges he was facing, we couldn’t have known or changed the systems. Otherwise he could have been seen as someone who complains on social media,” she continued, adding that selection policy regarding major competitions was one of the challenges.

Mokoena’s reaction followed his exclusion from the Commonwealth Games team to the Gold Coact, Australia, in April.

He told Sowetan after the team announcement last month that he was quitting the Sascoc athletes commission where he serves among the 10 athletes representatives.

More track and field athletes have since been added to the team bound for the Commonwealth Games, including a men’s 4x100m relay team.

Du Toit also said she found a lot of infighting in Sascoc when she joined the board last year as the athletes’ representative.

As a result, she said, some of the athletes were not keen to serve in her commission.

“Athletes didn’t believe any good will happen [because] there has been a lot of personal fighting while core business was not taken care of,” she told the commission.

She also revealed that it was not true that she abstained during the vote to dismiss Sascoc chief executive Tubby Reddy in January.

The inquiry will resume on Monday.