South Africa is on the verge of announcing its bid city for the 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games, but turmoil at Athletics SA is casting a shadow over the historic announcement.

Image: AFP

As the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) prepares to formally announce South Africa’s candidate host city for a historic 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games bid in Johannesburg on Thursday, a deepening governance scandal in Athletics South Africa (ASA) threatens to overshadow the country’s international sporting ambitions.

While the national Olympic committee moves forward with its landmark Olympic showcase, track and field – the centerpiece sport of any Olympic programme  – remains embroiled in administrative turmoil.

ASA recently resolved internally to strip suspended president James Moloi of his office following an independent disciplinary inquiry chaired by retired Judge Basheer Waglay. The panel found Moloi guilty of serious financial misconduct involving the misuse of a federation corporate credit card, which was used for personal expenditures ranging from vehicle maintenance to clothing and dining tabs.

Athletics SA has confirmed the dismissal of suspended president James Moloi following findings that he misused corporate credit card facilities.

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Moloi’s immediate and unconditional removal was one of the central, non-negotiable demands issued by World Athletics, which insisted that the federation act on the Waglay findings without delay.

Yet, his overdue exit has done little to defuse an escalating standoff with the global governing body. World Athletics has slapped ASA with a strict six-month ultimatum to execute sweeping governance reforms or face a provisional international suspension under Article 13 of the World Athletics constitution.

An international suspension would carry catastrophic consequences for South African athletics. Under Article 13 sanctions, South African athletes would be barred from competing globally under the national flag, freezing their participation in Diamond League meetings, Continental Tour events, and the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

Crucially, it would derail national preparations and official qualification pathways for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, starving elite competitors of international exposure and imperilling Olympic solidarity funding.

World Athletics recently rejected ASA’s draft constitution, ruling that it failed to incorporate critical governance benchmarks, including enforceable term limits, independent non-executive directors, and autonomous athlete representation.

World Athletics and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) subsequently took the extraordinary step of appointing Athletics Eswatini president and CAA vice-president Zakhele Dlamini as an independent overseer to supervise the redrafting process.

Under the global body's mandate, adopting the new constitution requires the immediate dissolution of the current ASA board to make way for fresh national elections.

Compounding the crisis, ASA’s interim leadership is also mired in controversy. Acting president John Mathane has come under fire amid allegations of procedural interference during the Moloi disciplinary inquiry, alongside growing Parliamentary scrutiny.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture previously reviewed forensic findings recommending the suspension of multiple executive board members and examining the alleged misappropriation of National Lotteries Commission funding and missing athlete prize money, with lawmakers endorsing calls to dissolve the board.

When approached for comment this week regarding the status of the World Athletics deadline and the constitutional roadmap, ASA stated that there were no further developments or official statements to offer.

The administrative gridlock creates a jarring contrast against Sascoc’s grand Olympic plans. While sports leaders pitch South Africa's readiness to host the world's premier multi-sport spectacle, the federation governing its core Olympic discipline faces a ticking clock that could see its athletes cast into the international wilderness.