‘SA must bid for 2022 Games’

THE SA Olympic Committee (Sascoc) wants South Africa to bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Africa has yet to host a Commonwealth Games, and the spectacle would be the biggest multi-sport event to be held in SA since the 1999 All-Africa Games in Johannesburg.

Sascoc president Gideon Sam said the decision was made at the organisation’s AGM in Johannesburg yesterday.

As happens with the Olympics, a host city must be chosen for the bid.

Team SA is a strong Commonwealth nation, making the top six at the past four editions.

Government will ultimately have to approve the bid.

Sam also announced Sascoc was close to a deal with an Italian city — the same used as a base by Oscar Pistorius — which will make it cheaper for South Africans to compete in Europe.

“We are in the final stages of signing the agreement with Gemona (near Venice).

“Gemona is going to be a stop in Europe where our athletes can train, and while they’re there they can compete.”

The financial statements

Revenue for the year was R154million, the bulk of which came from the lottery

show Sascoc received a clean bill of health from the auditors, but made a R4.35-million loss for the 12 months ending March 31.

The deficit was largely because of extra incentives of about R4-million paid to 2012 Paralympic medallists, CEO Tubby Reddy explained.

Sascoc upgraded the cash rewards for Paralympic medallists to that of their Olympic counterparts at the 11th hour last year. Reddy said Sascoc had since secured that extra portion from the lottery, but had received it only this year.

“If it had come in the last financial year you wouldn’t have seen a deficit.” According to the financials: Sascoc’s revenue for the year was R154-million, the bulk of which came from the lottery (R72-million), government (R33million) and several sponsors (more than R30-million), including R8-million value from apparel manufacturer Erke;

Employee costs totalled nearly R17-million, with Reddy receiving a salary of just more than R2-million;

The allowances of board members amounted to R2.04million with Sam getting R261,905;

The overdraft was R10.5-million on March 31, although the facility can stretch as high as R20-million; and,

Olympic athletes on the Operation Excellence funding programme were given a combined R4.63-million while Paralympians received R4.43-million.

Also addressing the AGM, deputy sport minister Gert Oosthuizen called for an end to infighting, saying “the mavericks” needed to be booted out.