The DA calls on Zizi Kodwa, minister of sports, to play open cards and make all correspondence with the World Agency against the Use of Prohibited Substances (WADA) public.
The DA takes the blame for Wada’s decision to ban South Africa from flying its national flag and singing the national anthem during the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup on Sunday, in front of Kodwa’s door. The party says the minister must be held accountable for his “failure to fulfill his fundamental duty as a minister”.
“He must ultimately bear the primary responsibility to protect the interests of South African sportsmen and women and guarantee their compliance with international regulations on prohibited substances,” says Solly Malatsi, national spokesperson of the DA.
The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids), the independent body that oversees banned substances in South Africa, on Tuesday appealed the WADA decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland. submitted.
Wada has received formal notice of the appeal application and says “the allegation of non-compliance is pending and the consequences will not apply until CAS makes its decision”.
So South Africa’s flag will be able to fly until CAS has formally heard the case, which defuses the controversy for the time being.
Malatsi says that although South Africa is now safe for the game ahead this weekend, the problem is far from solved.
“Few. Kodwa has nothing to celebrate. The ANC government had two years to deal with this matter and did nothing,” he says.
“It is worrying that the situation has reached this point. The DA has highlighted the issue since last year and warned the government that non-compliance with the world’s legislation on banned substances will have serious consequences.
“Unfortunately, our warnings fell on deaf ears.”
RNews previously reported that the South African government had missed the initial deadline to amend legislation against the use of banned substances in sport so that it meets WADA’s latest requirements. The revised legislation, which was agreed and accepted by more than 700 sports federations worldwide, came into force in January 2021.
Wada’s executive committee announced after a meeting on September 22 that South Africa and Bermuda are the two culprits that still have not updated the law amendments to comply with Wada’s.
