Balfour orders medal probe

2004-03-29 14:07

Johannesburg - Sports minister Ngconde Balfour has instructed the organisers of the SA Games that took place in Buffalo City last week, to investigate the circumstances around a Gauteng tennis player who apparently did not receive her medal.

The Minister has given an instruction to the SA Sports Commission, the Gauteng Department of Sport and Recreation, and tennis authorities to submit a report to him by the end of this week.

This, after Democratic Alliance spokesperson Douglas Gibson was quoted in a daily national newspaper on Monday as saying that he was appalled to learn that tennis player Adele van Niekerk, had been stripped of her gold medal because her team did not comply with the 50% quota system.

"The latest quota debacle follows shortly after the disqualification of Erna Wedemeyer and her team from the SA Life Saving Championships last month, because they did not comply with the prescribed team quotas," Gibson told The Citizen newspaper.

"South African sport, under the leadership of Minister Balfour, has gone in one direction - down. The Minister has reintroduced racial categorisation and reduced ability and talent to second rate concerns."

Balfour said: "The circumstances around this matter need to be cleared up immediately so as to ensure that no player is unfairly disadvantaged."

Balfour also chided the DA for commenting on a matter of which they have absolutely no knowledge.

- SAPA