Forgotten Chuene back in spotlight
Ex-ASA boss to testify at Zulman inquiry
In an ironic twist, disgraced former Athletics SA (ASA) president Leonard Chuene will re-emerge on the public stage when he testifies before the Zulman Commission of Inquiry at Ellis Park today.
He will appear alongside SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Gideon Sam, the man who condemned Chuene to the sport’s scrapheap for his role in the handling of Caster Semenya’s gender verification debacle that followed the 2009 IAAF World Championships.
Chuene’s appearance on the closing day of the inquiry coincides with the expiry of his seven-year ban from sport by Sascoc – which lapsed last month – and his submission could impact on the fate of the under-fire Sam.
Chuene told Sowetan yesterday that he felt absolved by the establishment of the inquiry into theOlympic governing body.
“I feel very much exonerated. I applaud the former sport minister Thulas Nxesi for establishing this inquiry which, hopefully, won’t be another waste of money and resources,” said Chuene, adding that he’s appearing on his own volition.
“The history between ASA and Sascoc is well-documented. I am not going to bash Sascocbefore the commission. The people who testified before me have spoken and what they said was a true reflection of the chaotic state at Sascoc. My submission is more about how we should take our sport forward.”
Another former ASA president James Evans and ex-general manager Molatelo Malehopo have laid the foundation for Chuene. Though Evans was instrumental in the removal of Chuene from athletics, he reserved some praise for Chuene.