World Athletics has warned that Athletics South Africa (ASA) could face provisional suspension if it fails to overhaul its constitution within six months, escalating pressure on the troubled federation to address its governance failures and hold fresh elections.
In a letter dated 15 October 2026, World Athletics chief executive Jon Ridgeon told ASA’s executive board that the international governing body and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) considered a comprehensive revision of the federation’s constitution necessary to restore effective, transparent and accountable governance.
The letter warns that failure to adopt a satisfactory revised constitution within the prescribed six-month period, or deliberate obstruction of the reform process, could result in the matter being referred to the World Athletics Council for consideration of sanctions.
These could include the provisional suspension of ASA’s membership, subject to the applicable constitutional grounds and procedures, including ASA’s right to respond.
The intervention comes amid an escalating governance crisis at ASA, including divisions within its executive board and disciplinary findings against its president, James Moloi.
World Athletics said a fact-finding mission conducted in South Africa on 2 and 3 September by Zakhele Dlamini, president of the Southern African Confederation of Athletics and vice-president of the Confederation of African Athletics, had identified serious deficiencies in ASA’s governance and functioning.
According to the letter, the report identified divisions within the executive board, difficulties with collective decision-making, uncertainty over the authority of elected officials and the validity of certain decisions.
It also raised concerns about conflicts of interest arising from individuals holding overlapping responsibilities at national and provincial levels.
“These difficulties have contributed to institutional instability and are considered to have affected ASA’s ability to discharge its constitutional obligations and responsibilities effectively, including towards its athletes,” Ridgeon wrote.
World Athletics acknowledged that ASA had recently prepared a draft constitution but said it did not adequately address several fundamental governance principles.
The revised constitution must establish ASA’s council, acting as its general assembly, as the federation’s supreme decision-making body, with voting rights reserved for duly accredited representatives of its constituent members.
Members of the executive board, commissions and other appointed bodies must not receive additional voting rights simply because they hold those positions.
The proposed reforms must also prevent individuals from exercising multiple votes or representing more than one constituency at the same meeting.
World Athletics further called for a clear separation of responsibilities between the council, executive board, president, commissions and administration.
The constitution must also provide for sufficiently independent electoral, disciplinary, vetting and financial oversight mechanisms, alongside appropriate safeguards against interference.
Other requirements include provisions on term limits, gender balance, athlete representation, transparency, financial accountability and the conduct of elected officials.
The revised constitution must also reflect South Africa’s current administrative and territorial organisation.
Under the roadmap outlined in the letter, ASA must provide World Athletics and CAA with a detailed timetable for revising and adopting its constitution within one month of the letter.
The federation must then finalise and formally adopt the revised constitution within six months.
ASA is expected to work closely with the two international athletics bodies throughout the process and submit the proposed constitutional provisions for review before adoption.
Its council must also be convened within the prescribed timeframe to consider and vote on the amendments.
Once the new constitution has been adopted, fresh elections must be organised within a further three months, in accordance with the revised governance framework.
World Athletics and CAA intend to nominate Dlamini as an independent observer to the constitutional adoption process and subsequent elections.
His responsibilities will include monitoring implementation of the roadmap, attending relevant meetings, facilitating dialogue where necessary and reporting regularly to the two bodies.
His mandate will continue until the new constitution has been ratified and elections have been conducted under the revised framework.
Ridgeon said the responsibility for adopting constitutional amendments ultimately rested with ASA’s council but stressed that the process had to serve the interests of South African athletics.
“The preservation of existing positions, voting privileges or institutional arrangements cannot justify the rejection or obstruction of reforms necessary to bring the federation’s governance into line with its obligations and internationally accepted good-governance principles,” he wrote.
The letter also directly addresses the disciplinary proceedings against Moloi, who was found guilty of two charges relating to the misuse of ASA funds.
World Athletics acknowledged receipt of the findings of the independent disciplinary panel chaired by retired judge Basheer Waglay, dated 6 October 2026.
The panel unanimously found Moloi guilty of the two charges and determined that his removal as president and as a member of the executive board was the appropriate sanction.
“We expect ASA to respect the findings of its independent disciplinary panel and implement its decision dated 6 October 2026 without delay,” Ridgeon wrote.
World Athletics said it was particularly concerned that the problems at ASA reflected structural weaknesses in the federation’s governance framework rather than isolated incidents or disagreements between individuals.
The letter refers to Articles 9 and 17 of the World Athletics Constitution, which require member federations to comply with their constitutional obligations and applicable rules and regulations.
It also cites Article 12, which provides for World Athletics to take steps to address governance difficulties within a member federation, including through the involvement of the relevant area association.
The potential consequences of sanctions extend beyond the federation’s leadership.
“World Athletics is conscious of the potential consequences of such measures, particularly for South African athletes.
“Our clear preference is to avoid sanctions by supporting ASA in implementing the necessary reforms,” Ridgeon wrote.
However, he warned that the continued governance difficulties could not be allowed to undermine the proper functioning of the federation and the development of athletics in South Africa.
World Athletics has requested written confirmation of ASA’s commitment to the reform process within 14 days of receiving the letter.
The letter was copied to the World Athletics Governance Commission, CAA, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).