‘We are attending to this matter’: Gayton McKenzie on Luxolo Adams’ exclusion from Olympic squad

The exclusion of sprinter Luxolo Adams from Team South Africa for the Paris Olympics has had many rallying behind the athlete and calling for minister of sports, arts and culture Gayton McKenzie to intervene.

The 27-year-old athlete expressed his disappointment and frustration in a media statement last week, saying he felt “disheartened” by Athletics South Africa's (ASA) decision to drop him. He said he would take legal action, arguing the decision was unfair.

Public opinion, which quickly rallied behind Adams on social media, has seen McKenzie respond to the outcry.

“We are attending to this matter. The department has made contact with the presidents of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee and Athletics South Africa. We await their responses," the minister said on Sunday.

African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader Vuyo Zungula joined the support for Adams.

“We fully support Luxolo Adams' legal action against this decision. If an athlete is good enough to qualify, they deserve to compete. We call on minister McKenzie to intervene urgently. While we support Luxolo's court challenge, it should not have come to this. We urge the minister to ensure Athletics South Africa rectifies this situation promptly, allowing Luxolo to compete and represent South Africa with pride,” Zungula said.

Social media users questioned the rule about qualifying times, saying Adams deserved to be at the Paris Games.

Sports fan Vuyani Ngcelwane said on social media said: “This is quite disturbing as we've known and watched you from early beginnings. Continue fighting for your rights, Mr Adams, and I wish you all the best.”

Sports fan Shannon Scholtz also felt the decision was unfair: “Luxolo Adams qualified and earned his spot fair and square. What is the point of having qualifying times and periods if you don't stick to it?”

Adams said he was informed about the decision through a WhatsApp message weeks before the start of the Olympics due to a “perceived lack of fitness” after calcification in his hamstring in March. He said despite being cleared by doctors to compete and qualifying, he was dropped and replaced by Wayde van Niekerk, who was persuaded to switch from the 400m to the 200m.

Here are more reactions on social media:

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