South Africa’s Olympic committee says track officials will face charges after audit

South Africa track officials to face charges

JOHANNESBURG — Several officials in South Africa’s athletics body are set to face charges after the country’s Olympic committee investigated its finances and handling of the Caster Semenya affair.

The committee, known as SASCOC, said in a statement Monday that board member Ray Mali “will proceed to a South African police station and formally lay charges against certain individuals as recommended in the forensic report.”

Mali is acting as a temporary administrator of Athletics South Africa.

SASCOC will run its own inquiry, starting Sept. 9-10, but didn’t name the individuals to be charged or give details of the charges.

Eight ASA board members, including president Leonard Chuene, were suspended last November after allegations of financial management and criticism of ASA’s handling of the Semenya affair before the audit by Deloittes was completed.

The audit was initially ordered after shredded documents and deleted computer files were discovered at the ASA head office in Johannesburg.

Semenya sat out 11 months after becoming the 800-meter world champion because of a dispute over gender tests that began soon after her victory in Berlin last August.

Chuene has admitted to lying about the gender tests performed in South Africa on the then 18-year-old runner before the worlds, claiming he was trying to protect Semenya.

Semenya was cleared to run by the IAAF last month and is set to return to Berlin’s Olympic Stadium to compete this weekend.

SASCOC also said Monday it would fight an action by Chuene and two other ASA officials, who are seeking arbitration over their suspensions, and hand over the forensic report to South Africa Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile.