Discus thrower sued for fracturing skull

A horror accident on the athletics field has saddled discus gold medallist Victor Hogan and Athletics South Africa with a R6.5-million lawsuit.

Hogan, 25, is being sued along with Athletics South Africa by a Centurion mother who was struck by a discus he threw at an event in Pretoria three years ago.

Court papers filed in the High Court in Pretoria say Basetsana Molobye, 30, who had been hired as a temporary field official, suffered an open skull fracture when Hogan's flying discus struck her.

Hogan, who won gold at the African Championships in Morocco earlier this year, was defending the lawsuit, said his attorney, Juan Smit.

Molobye, who required surgery and suffered severe pain for three months after the incident, said in the court papers that she would need further medical treatment, including plastic surgery.

Her lawsuit also covers "severe" emotional trauma suffered by her son, now nine, who was seated in the stands during the event.

He witnessed his mother being struck by the discus and saw she was bleeding "profusely" as she lay unconscious, according to the court documents. He believed Molobye had been killed.

She contends that Athletics South Africa, which had hired her at R150 a day, had a duty towards the safety of those it employed. Her attorney, Kagiso Mokuduo, said she declined to comment.

Her total claim includes the cost of past and future medical expenses as well as loss of income of R3.5-million and general damages of R1-million.

Monty Hacker, the attorney acting for Athletics South Africa, said there was great sympathy for Molobye, but the athletics organisation would defend the action.