James Moloi, the newly appointed President of Athletics South Africa (ASA), intends to use his four-year tenure to improve corporate governance at the national federation while growing the modern games in stature.
A passionate former athlete, Moloi has busied himself with the business of his new role since taking over the reins in May, after upstaging the incumbent, Aleck Skhosana, by a 39-27 margin at the polls in Kempton Park. And already his plate is full.
With only a month to go until the Olympic cauldron is lit in Tokyo, Japan, Moloi is heading up preparations for South African athletes to qualify for the modern games, including arranging for them to compete in the European season now that the South African one has concluded.
He also needs to forge relationships with the corporate sector to lobby for lucrative sponsorship deals. However, his immediate assignment is to announce the next South African track and field team that’ll take on the Olympic Games.
“The ASA executive team, which comprises five men and five women from different provinces, will help me ensure all immediate plans are implemented,” he says.
Apart from his administrative duties at ASA, Moloi looks forward to appointing a Chief Executive to oversee operations and to develop policies to ensure each province has an athletics affiliate. He’s also mulling ambitious plans to restructure ASA and wants to prioritise the grassroots development of national coaches and potential athletes.
Besides this, the long-serving Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) president – who relinquished his presidency following the nod from ASA – wants all domestic athletics championships to be televised.
The 54-year-old, who hails from Diepkloof in Soweto used to be a long-distance runner before suffering a knee injury that ended his athletics career. Before making his way to the president’s seat at ASA, Moloi was the chairperson of the Zone 3 Sports Council and Deputy Chairperson of the Boksburg Sports Council. He also chaired the Central Gauteng Athletics Federation’s Road Running Commission until his ascendency at ASA.
A Human Resource Management graduate within the Department of Community Development, Sports and Recreation directorate, Moloi unwinds by reading books and spending time with his family, which he says has shown him great support in these unpleasant Covid-19 times.
Written by Gontse ‘GeE’ Hlophe