Schools athletics champs uproar

Sports Department excludes key age groups from provincial cross-country meeting

IN a perplexing move, the Sport Department has decided that only a select few age groups can compete in the Eastern Cape schools’ cross-country championships this weekend. The race categories for u-10, u-11, u-14 and u-16 have been scrapped for the East London event after funding reportedly ran dry for transport and accommodation.

The meeting was expected to draw scores of young athletes from the Nelson Mandela Bay and Cacadu municipalities.

Angry Bay parents and coaches have called for an official inquiry and have threatened legal action.

Last year, the provincial crosscountry championships saw hundreds of runners compete in Aliwal North.

But on Saturday only u-12, u-13, u-15 and u-17 cross-country runners will be allowed to race, accor- ding to a departmental circular.

Athletes from special schools will only be able to go head-tohead in the u-17 and u-19 categories.

Department-organised primary and high school sports events in the province have a long record of ending in chaos due to financial mismanagement.

In the past, the department has been blamed for bad planning and has been hounded by glitches in transport, food and accommodation plans.

This led to the national department intervening last month, ordering the provincial authority to spend more money on school sports.

Provincial running ace Karel Gerber confirmed that half the age categories were dropped from the cross-country meeting.

‘ It happens every year. There is always the same problem

“I was told it was a lack of funding again. It happens every year. There is always the same problem,” Gerber, who also heads EP High School Athletics, said.

If the athletes fail to run in the provincial cross-country championships they will not qualify for the SA championships in Rustenburg on September 28.

The Eastern Cape championships is a vital step for those seeking SA colours.

Eastern Cape Sports Council president Mkhululi Magada said it would be unfair if school athletes trained all year, only to have their age categories cancelled at the last minute.

According to the government circular, only 48 runners are now scheduled to complete at Kuswag Primary School.

“The participating age groups will be boys and girls u-12, u-13, u-15, u-17 and [special schools] u-17 and u-19 boys and girls only,” the circular reads. A Bay school coach, who asked not to be named, said this meant “most athletes will not be allowed to participate in Rustenburg even if they funded themselves”.

The coach said some of the athletes left out would have been medal contenders at the national championships.

“Young hopefuls from primary and high schools, who trained hard throughout the season, have now heard they can’t all go,” he said.

“Some of the kids have to stay at home . . . it is absurd. Parents are up in arms about the whole catastrophe.”

A parent, whose child falls into one of the cut categories, said: “These events are always in total turmoil.

“How do you explain this to your child who has been training all year for this,” said the parent, who asked not to be named.

Department spokeswoman Malehlohonolo Mlabateki failed to comment yesterday.

To promote sporting talent in the province, the ANC ordered the provincial Education Department not to use the budget for school sports for other purposes.

The resolution to ringfence the sports budget came after cuts in the Eastern Cape department’s budget, which compromised calls by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula to promote school sport.

Some money cut from the budget was used to pay salaries.

The department secured a qualified audit opinion for the 2011-12 financial year.

At the time, MEC Xoliswa Tom said: “I think it will ensure we assist, encourage and support young people, and in addition to the ringfenced budget that we get the equipment we need.”