Athletics

Sascoc keep tougher selection criteria for Tokyo 2020 Olympics

10 June 2018 - 00:00 By DAVID ISAACSON

The SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) yesterday approved general selection criteria that could make qualification for the Tokyo Games in 2020 as difficult as it was for Rio 2016.
Boxing, hockey, fencing and the women's rugby sevens team missed the Brazil showpiece because they qualified only through the continental route, and not the tougher international standards as required by Sascoc.
One clause in the Sascoc document says: "International ranking, except where continental qualification is the only qualification route, shall be a main factor in determining selection".
Qualifying criteria are set by the international federations in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and most bodies offer two routes - tough international and easier continental avenues.For Rio, Sascoc demanded the tougher standards, saying African qualifying was too easy in most cases. It made exceptions only for football and road cycling.
But not all Sascoc members are happy. "There's a conversation here that's not happening," said one.
It seems Sascoc could face some opposition as they begin detailed negotiations with individual federations.
A major issue is funding. Qualifying athletes and teams through the international route is significantly more expensive than using the continental option.
It's different for athletics and swimming, which historically have won most of South Africa's medals, with most of their individual events carrying stipulated standards which can be achieved on home soil, like at their national championships.Sascoc is also demanding federations show proof that their leadership has discussed qualifying standards with their executives, athletes and coaches.
The Sascoc annual meeting yesterday also approved the financial statements for the 12 months ending March 31 2017, which had been delayed from last year amid the disciplinary process against CEO Tubby Reddy, chief financial officer Vinesh Maharaj and senior manager Jean Kelly.
The trio, who didn't attend their hearings, were fired early this year.
Sascoc recorded a surplus of R16.23-million, up slightly from R15.7-million the year before.
Revenue for the period, which included the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, exceeded R180-million, with R102-million coming from the National Lotteries Commission, R25.9-million from the International Olympic Committee, R17.3-million from government, R15.4-million from product sponsorship and R4-million from SuperSport.
Reddy's annual salary was listed at just over R2.57-million and Maharaj's at R1.66-million...

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