South African athletes were robbed of an opportunity of a lifetime to race against the big-name athletes from world athletics on home soil due to the shortage of funds. World Athletics Federation granted Athletics South Africa the Gold Label Status track meeting last year.
But ASA forfeited the rights to host the big one-day track meeting at Puk McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom in April. World Athletics requested and demanded R4-million from ASA for prize money to accommodate the star-studded athletes such as world champion Fred Kerley, the world 100m champion.
Other world-class athletes who were expected to grace the event included Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, Oblique Seville, Benjamin Azamati and females Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah. From the all-powerful US team, Micah Williams, Christian Coleman, Elijah Hall, Trayvon Brommel, Marvin Bracy, Twanisha Terry, Mellissa Jefferson and Tamari Davis. Great Britain also usually line-up a powerful ensemble of athletes
ASA felt that there was not enough time between now and April to go to the government cap in hand.
According to ASA president James Moloi, SA neighbours Botswana had applied for the Gold Label track meeting and they paid the required R4-million and will now host the meeting in March.
“The R4-million amount is because of the high calibre of athletes who will take part. That is standard and always pre-determined by World Athletics. But time was not on our side and we have decided that we will raise the funds for 2024 and that should give us enough time to achieve that,” Moloi told Sunday World.
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