Sports minister Gayton McKenzie vows Luxolo Adams will go to the Olympics

Sports minister Gayton McKenzie has vowed to do everything in his power to ensure sprinter Luxolo Adams goes to the Olympics. 

Adams, who has threatened legal action against Athletics South Africa (ASA), was dropped from Team South Africa last week for Wayde van Niekerk, and McKenzie said it was not fair because Adams had qualified to go to France. 

“I have spoken to the presidents of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) and ASA, telling them they must not demoralise young people.

“That boy comes from a village, and no matter what they think he did wrong, he deserves to go because he has qualified. They must include him in the trip because he inspires millions of young people in the village and province he comes from.” 

McKenzie said if the “so-called” super fans were taken to international events, all means necessary must be made to take deserving athletes. “We have taken many super fans, why can’t we take super athletes like him? I can’t say he is going to run at the Olympics because I have no jurisdiction over that but I will make sure that he goes.

“He will go. If I have to, I will remove somebody from the department to make space for him because I don’t want to crush the soul of a young man who qualified. That is not me, that has never been me and that will never be me.” 

McKenzie added that he expected medals from Team SA at the Paris Games. “I expect lots of gold, we will not even know where to hide it. There is going to be so much gold because the Olympic and Paralympic teams are motivated. I am going there to motivate them further.”