Posted: May 7, 2004

Athletics: Sepeng May Yet Make Olympic Team

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Riel Hauman

Hezekiel Sepeng, South African record holder and national champion over 800 meters, may yet go to Athens, but it will probably take a special Board meeting of Athletics South Africa (ASA) to achieve this. Sepeng’s name was not included in the provisional Olympic team ASA announced earlier in the week.

The latest development is that Sepeng and his legal advisor, Elliot Wood, have had discussions with Banele Sindani, CEO of ASA. Both the ASA legal advisor and Jean Verster, Sepeng’s coach, attended. The discussions will be continued within the next few days. “I have to stress that the matter is extremely urgent,” Sindani said. “It must be finalised urgently. Both parties agreed to this.”

Sepeng is planning to take part in a meet in Europe towards the end of June, probably in Rhede, Germany, on June 27. Then he will run in the Golden League meet in Rome on July 2, followed by Lausanne on July 6.

If he and ASA can resolve the current situation, he will be required by the national body to run in the Africa Championships, which are held in Brazzaville on July 14-18. The final Olympic team will be announced shortly after this meet.

Sindani did not want to elaborate on the discussions between ASA and Sepeng, but it is expected that ASA will hold an urgent special Board meeting to decide about his inclusion in the final team, if it is felt that his case has merit.

Sepeng did run in the domestic Absa Series as required, but not in his specialist event – which the rules clearly stipulated he had to do. Sepeng, who said at first that he did not understand the criteria for selection, has subsequently claimed that he obtained telephonic permission from ASA to do so. (He twice competed in the 1500 meters.)

Sepeng’s 1:43.12 in Brussels made him the world’s third fastest two-lapper last year behind Wilfred Bungei (KEN) and Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (RSA). Track & Field News ranked Sepeng sixth, with Bungei first and Mulaudzi second.

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