WORLD ATHLETICS MISLED? Letter names suspended ASA President as leader of Governance process

On 23 March 2026, The Public Dispatch was the first media outlet to reveal that Athletics South Africa (ASA) had been formally placed under the monitoring of World Athletics amid mounting governance concerns.

Today, The Public Dispatch reveals another exclusive development in the ongoing ASA governance saga. A letter from World Athletics to SASCOC identifies suspended Athletics South Africa (ASA) President James Moloi as the individual expected to lead the federation in a proposed tripartite governance process involving World Athletics, SASCOC and ASA.

The World Athletics CEO, Jon Ridgeon wrote to SASCOC President, Barry Hendricks addressing one of the most contentious issues in South African athletics: who should lead ASA in the governance process overseen by the world governing body?

According to Ridgeon's letter, the World Athletics expects ASA to engage in the tripartite process.

"...we expect ASA to engage in this process under the leadership of its duly elected President, Mr. James Moloi, who we were notified was formally reinstated by the ASA Board as of 28 February 2026," Ridgeon wrote.

But there is one problem. In May 2026 the same month Ridgeon wrote his letter, ASA Acting President John Mathane told the South African Media that Moloi remains suspended until further notice. Mathane said the disciplinary committee that recommended Moloi's reinstatement did not have the authority to make a final decision. Its findings were recommendations only, not binding rulings.

It was later reported that the ASA board had overturned the disciplinary committee's reinstatement instruction and resolved to hold a fresh independent disciplinary inquiry.

Two irreconcilable positions.

On one hand, World Athletics recognised Moloi as the duly elected ASA president and expected him to lead the federation through an internationally supervised governance process. On the other, Mathane insisted that Moloi was suspended and incapable of exercising any presidential authority.

Someone gave World Athletics information that ASA's own leadership was simultaneously contradicting.

Whether that was SASCOC, a faction within ASA, or someone else entirely, is a question The Public Dispatch has put to all parties.

What the World Athletics letter actually says

The letter was a formal response to correspondence sent by SASCOC on 5 May 2026. While the contents of SASCOC's letter have not been made public, World Athletics' response provides important clues about what was communicated.

From Ridgeon's reply, it appears SASCOC sought to clarify its statutory oversight role over national federations, address ongoing governance concerns at ASA, and propose a structured tripartite engagement involving SASCOC, ASA and World Athletics aimed at resolving the crisis

World Athletics accepts the proposal in measured but significant language:

"While we too are fully committed to the protection and wellbeing of athletes and welcome SASCOC’s shared view that they should not be adversely impacted by governance matters, World Athletics reiterates its commitment to the principles of good governance, accountability, integrity, and appropriate disciplinary and compliance processes within Member Federations," the letter reads.

"We appreciate SASCOC’s stated objective of ensuring that these processes are conducted fairly, independently, and consistently with both domestic obligations and international federation standards,"

"In that context, we welcome your proposal for tripartite engagement involving SASCOC, ASA, and World Athletics. Continued dialogue and cooperation between all parties will be beneficial in supporting a constructive and durable resolution," Ridgeon's letter continued.

The letter goes further and propose that the Confederation of African Athletics, specifically the Southern African Confederation of Athletics (SACA) be included in the process:

"We would also care to involve the Confederation of African Athletics, particularly its regional representation in the Southern African Confederation of Athletics (SACA), in the matter going forward and suggest for our engagement to begin after the visit of the SACA President to South Africa in the coming days,"

The letter also confirms World Athletics has welcomed receipt of the Forvis Mazars forensic report, the investigation commissioned by SASCOC that led to Moloi's suspension:

"World Athletics appreciates the distinction drawn between the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee’s recommendations and SASCOC’s own governance processes. We also note your offer to share the Forvis Mazars report and would welcome receipt of this report to further our understanding of the matters raised and the governance processes currently underway,"

The reinstatement that may never have happened

To understand the contradiction, it is necessary to understand the disciplinary timeline which is considerably more complicated than World Athletics' letter suggests.

Moloi was re-elected ASA president on 31 May 2025 at the Quadrennial General Meeting in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

He was suspended five months later, on 25 October 2025, following a SASCOC forensic report that found alleged misuse of an ASA-issued credit card for personal expenditure, including at entertainment venues. John Mathane, elected Vice President at the same May 2025 QGM, stepped in as acting president.

A disciplinary inquiry was convened. It ruled but only on procedure. The inquiry found that the suspension letter had been incorrectly signed by the acting CEO, Terrence Magogodela, rather than a properly authorised official. On that technicality alone, the committee recommended Moloi's reinstatement.

The substantive allegations, the credit card, the taverns, the alleged personal expenditure were never examined. The ASA board rejected the recommendation. It overturned the committee's finding and resolved to hold a fresh, independent disciplinary process. Moloi remained suspended.

It is against this background that World Athletics' letter states it was notified Moloi was "formally reinstated by the ASA Board as of 28 February 2026."

That date corresponds to the period when the procedural reinstatement recommendation was made but the board overturned it. If World Athletics was notified of the committee's recommendation but not of the board's subsequent rejection of it, it was given an incomplete and misleading picture.

Mathane's public statement to the media makes the current position clear: the suspension stands. The fresh disciplinary process was promised by end of May 2026. That deadline has now passed. No outcome has been announced.

Parliament's oversight gap

The Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture passed a unanimous recommendation on 31 March 2026 that the ASA board be dissolved.

Chairperson Joe McGluwa described ASA as "on the verge of collapse with no financial controls, an inability to prioritise critical issues and infighting among board members."

That was sixty-four days ago. The board has not been dissolved. No further hearing on ASA has been publicly scheduled.

The World Athletics letter, which Parliament appears not to have been briefed on directly contradicts the Committee's own recommendation.

Parliament wants the board dissolved. World Athletics wants the current elected leadership to lead the tripartite process. These two positions cannot both be implemented. The Public Dispatch has asked the Committee how it reconciles them.

What The Public Dispatch is still asking

Right-of-reply letters have been sent to World Athletics, SASCOC, ASA and the Portfolio Committee on Sport.

The specific questions that remain unanswered at the time of publication are:

• Who notified World Athletics that Moloi was reinstated

• Whether those talks have commenced and who represented ASA

• Whether the Forvis Mazars report has been transmitted to World Athletics

• Whether the May 2026 disciplinary deadline was met