South Africa’s Luxolo Adams in action during the IAAF Wanda Diamond League in Paris in 2022 FILE - South Africa’s Luxolo Adams in action during the IAAF Wanda Diamond League in Paris in 2022. Photo: Michele Maraviglia/NurPhoto via AFP
Sports minister Gayton McKenzie has written to the presidents of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and Athletics South Africa (ASA) demanding an explanation after sprinter Luxolo Adams’ exclusion from the Team SA Olympic squad.
Adams threatened legal action on the weekend after he was left out of the team to travel to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games despite qualifying.
Adams was the casualty in the squad after Wayde van Niekerk opted out of the 400m to focus on the 200m instead.
We are attending to this matter, @SportArtsCultur have made contact with both Presidents of SASCOC & Athletic South Africa, we await their responses. pic.twitter.com/i6eoUlGd8q
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) July 14, 2024
It meant there was no place for Adams, even though he had run a faster qualifying times than the 400m world record-holder Van Niekerk.
In a legal letter posted on his Instagram on the weekend, Adams said the decision, which was allegedly delivered to him via WhatsApp, was "incredibly disheartening“ and had an affect on his mental health.
“This decision came just three weeks before the Olympic Games and was communicated to me through an informal and distressing method, showing a lack of respect, professionalism, consistency, and lack of consideration for my mental health,” he wrote.
In his post, many tagged the sports minister, urging him to intervene in the matter.
On Sunday, McKenzie took to X, formerly Twitter, to let South Africans know he was looking into it, and had approached SASCOC and ASA for an explanation.
“We are attending to this matter, [the department] have made contact with both Presidents of SASCOC & Athletic South Africa, we await their responses,” wrote McKenzie.
According to a report on Monday, Adams, with his agent Peet van Zyl and coach Gerrie Posthumus present, were informed he wouldn’t be going to Paris during a telephone call.
The Citizen reported that Adams picked up an injury earlier in the year, and told ASA he would compete on the 6th and 9th of July to prove his fitness and readiness after opting out of the African Athletics Championships in June.
The time he produced in the event on the 6th was so poor he opted out of competing on the 9th.
“All parties agreed that the performance on 6 July was a poor result and indicated that you are not ready for the Olympic Games, and your coach indicated that you were in your fourth week of rehabilitation,” ASA’s Hezekiel Sepeng wrote to Adams.
“Instead, you should focus on your recovery and prepare for next season.”
“During the group call you were given the opportunity to express your feelings about the decision, and you agreed with it.”
IOL Sport