Aleck Skhosana Becomes Athletics South Africa President

Athletics South Africa have announced Aleck Skhosana as their new president at a special general meeting in Johannesburg.

The meeting also concluded with the election of a new board who will stand until 2016.

Elections were held for positions on the ASA executive board: president, vice-president, chairpersons of the cross-country commission, the road running commission, the track and field commission and the athletes’ commission, and four additional members.

Saturday’s elections brought an end to a year-long power struggle and sees Skhosana, a former KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) president take the reins after the position was left vacant when the previous president James Evans stepped down in February.

On his visit to South Africa in February, IAAF representative Cheikh Thiare met with the ASA council, represented by 15 of 17 provinces and an ASA general assembly, which include Evans’ depleted board and one mandated provincial member.

The recognised ASA executive, led by Evans, and the federation’s interim board, led by chairman Sello Mokoena, subsequently stepped down with both groups — each previously claiming to have control of the federation –agreeing to the appointment of an interim committee.

Skhosana beat off a challenge by Mokoena, Evans and Steve Mkasi, while Harold Adams was elected as vice-president after he withdraw his candidature for president.