Stonewalled: ASA and DSAC remain silent on World Athletics monitoring

World Athletics is actively monitoring Athletics South Africa (ASA) over serious governance failures, yet the people responsible for fixing the problems have refused to answer questions about it.

This publication sent detailed questions to Athletics South Africa, its president James Moloi, acting CEO Terrence Magogodela, and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) regarding the international body’s oversight. None of them had responded.

The silence comes after World Athletics’ Head of Communications, Maggie Durand, told The Public Dispatch exclusively that:

“World Athletics is aware of the issues raised relating to governance within Athletics South Africa. A comprehensive series of reforms and safeguards were presented to World Athletics and are being put in place, and an individual suspension has been imposed. World Athletics will continue to monitor the situation and the implementation of these reforms and safeguards.”

No comment on international scrutiny

The questions asked whether the promised reforms had been fully implemented and how ASA planned to restore trust with athletes and clubs. DSAC was asked what steps it was taking to ensure the federation meets the standards expected by its global governing body. No replies were received.

By failing to respond to questions regarding the specific nature of the safeguards mandated by World Athletics, ASA leadership is not only snubbing the media but also the South African public and the athletes whose international eligibility could be at risk.

The decision to remain tight-lipped also raises a troubling question. If the mandated reforms are indeed on track, why is the leadership afraid to discuss them?

This lack of transparency adds to a long list of concerns at ASA. In late 2025, President James Moloi was suspended following a SASCOC forensic report into alleged misuse of an ASA company credit card, including spending at taverns and liquor stores. His suspension was lifted in December 2025 on technicalities. Acting CEO Terrence Magogodela has also been linked to the credit card issues and to irregularities involving National Lotteries Commission grants.

As DSAC under Minister Gayton McKenzie continues to preach a message of zero tolerance for maladministration, their lack of comment on World Athletics’ intervention is equally deafening.

Clubs and athletes have repeatedly called for the entire board to resign and for a full forensic audit.

World Athletics keeps watching

World Athletics has shown it can act firmly when member federations fail to meet governance or anti-doping standards. Russia has faced years of exclusion, Kenya narrowly avoided a ban in 2022 after a doping crisis, and other nations have been placed under stricter testing regimes.

Time for answers

South African athletes deserve a federation that is open, accountable and focused on performance rather than internal battles. When the global governing body says it is monitoring the situation, the least the local leaders can do is explain what they are doing about it.

South African athletics now sits under the same watchful eye. Yet locally, the response has been silence. Athletes, provincial associations and ordinary clubs are the ones paying the price.

Until they break their silence, the questions will only grow louder: Are the reforms real, or just words on paper? And who is really in charge of cleaning up Athletics South Africa?