Push for Olympic spot for Semenya
ASA wants her to run 5 000m race
One of newly elected Athletics South Africa (ASA) president James Moloi’s immediate tasks will be to assist Mzansi’s golden girl Caster Semenya to get a last-ditch qualification spot for the Olympic Games. Semenya is a double Olympic champion.
Semenya and ASA are hoping that Semenya can make a last-minute dash in the 5 000m after she was banned by World Athletics from participating in her preferred 800m and 1 500m races, after a ruling that she would have to take testosterone-reducing drugs in order to compete professionally.
The Limpopo-born athlete has refused to take hormone medication and her only option at the Olympic Games in Tokyo is the 5 000m event.
“We will try and organise more running events in different provinces to give top athletes such as Caster [Semenya] the opportunity to qualify. The deadline to qualify for track and field events is 30 June while the cutoff date for marathons is at the end of this month. This is part of our immediate goals since I took over last week,” said Moloi. Other important tasks that Moloi’s new office will tackle are the TV broadcasting blackout when it comes to athletics. “I have organised an urgent meeting with the SABC.
“My timeline is two weeks to finalise the contract and other TV deals. We want the sport to be live on TV and also events from other provinces to be beamed live,” he added.
“We will also be meeting with the organisers of big races such as Comrades Marathon, Two Oceans, Soweto Marathon and others.”