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| Leonard Chuene © Gallo Images |
Fear was the driving force behind Leonard Chuene retaining his seat at the head of the Athletics South Africa (ASA) board, a senior ASA official said on Monday.
An ASA special general meeting was held in Kempton Park last
week to discuss the federation's handling of the Caster Semenya
gender fiasco after Chuene and other senior members of the national
body admitted to lying about tests conducted on the teenage athlete
in Pretoria last month.
But the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his
provincial federation had been too scared to discuss Chuene's lies
- a subject that was apparently never even raised in the meeting.
"The only thing that was discussed was what the rest of us would
have done if we had been in Chuene's shoes," said the official.
"His lies were never discussed."
Much of the meeting was expected to revolve around whether or
not Chuene remained fit to lead the federation, but his position as
ASA president never went to vote because nobody in the meeting
raised the motion.
Another ASA senior official told Sapa "those meetings are like a
braai among friends" and those outside Chuene's circle were too
scared to challenge him.
"Many of the people in the meeting were put there by Chuene
himself and he tells them, 'if I'm gone, you're gone'," said the
official.
"I can tell you that not all the federations are happy with
Chuene. I know that Eastern Province, Western Province and Boland
are not happy."
Boland Athletics released a statement on Monday confirming they
intended to remain neutral on the ASA board's handling of the
Semenya debacle until "the involvement of all role players has been
revealed and scrutinised."
The statement added that the provincial body expected ASA to
produce a report on "the other role players in the Caster Semenya
saga", apart from Chuene.
But a senior official remained confident that Chuene would soon
be replaced at the head of the board, despite his political
influence and tendency to rule with an iron fist.
"I don't think he will stay there for long," the official said.
"He's got to go."
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