The president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC), Barry Hendrix, has been suspended and is now undergoing an internal judicial review. This decision followed preliminary findings made by former judge Bashir Waglae.
SASCOC once again found itself in a crisis of top leadership following the immediate suspension of its president, Barry Hendrix. The council made this decision after an independent investigation conducted by former judge Bashir Waglae, which concerned anonymous complaints about serious breaches of SASCOC's protection policy and Code of Rules.
Judge Waglae determined that there was sufficient initial evidence to refer the case to the SASCOC judicial body. Although SASCOC emphasized that the suspension is a procedural measure to ensure the integrity of the investigation and does not imply guilt, temporary executive powers were transferred to first vice-president Lwandile Simelane.
The suspension of the SASCOC head occurs at a difficult time for South African sports administration. As the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle has already begun, the national governing body is attempting to stabilize an administrative landscape weakened by simultaneous leadership issues in key federations. These include the recent suspensions of Swimming SA president Alan Fritz and CEO Shaun Adrianse, as well as Athletics South Africa president James Moloi.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Hendrix has been removed from the board; previously in 2020, he was suspended over allegations of blocking a rival before elections, although he was later acquitted through arbitration.
Historical Pattern of Crises
Hendrix's potential departure and the accompanying chaos are not isolated events. They align with a recurring historical pattern for an organization that constantly transitions from one administrative disaster to another.
Disciplinary Purge and Wiretapping Scandal of 2017–2018
Fierce internal struggle led to the suspension and subsequent dismissal of long-serving CEO Tabbi Reddy, CFO Vinesh Maharaj, and deputy head Jean Kelly. The fallout from this scandal arose after extensive investigations into alleged financial misconduct and accusations of sexual harassment against Reddy. The conflict escalated when senior executives publicly accused rivals of illegally wiretapping the SASCOC headquarters in Johannesburg to intercept confidential council conversations. This protracted situation undermined relationships within the board, leading to years of costly legal disputes and seriously disrupting national sporting operations.
Zulman Minister's 2018 Investigation into Governance Failures
Following public outcry over alleged financial mismanagement and autocratic leadership, then Sports Minister Tokozile Hasa appointed an independent investigative committee led by former judge Ralph Zulman. The final 2018 report contained sharp criticism of SASCOC's executive culture. It mentioned a 'dictatorial' management style under former president Gideon Same, excessive stipends, supplier contracts signed without tenders, and deeply entrenched political infighting. The investigation recommended a massive reorganization of governance and constitutional amendments to limit executive overreach and restore public trust.
SASCOC first vice-president Lwandile Simelane assumed the role of acting president of the Olympic body.
Dispute Over Blocking Presidential Elections in 2020
Before the quarterly SASCOC council elections in 2020, the then-acting president Hendrix was suspended by his own board of directors following the appearance of anonymized audio recordings. These leaks indicated that Hendrix had conspired to block a key rival, Alec Skhosana, who was then president of Athletics South Africa, from participating in the election. The incident delayed the elections by months and required independent arbitration to resolve. Ultimately, Hendrix was acquitted by the arbitration panel and reinstated, later winning the presidency, although this dispute severely tarnished the organization's electoral integrity.
Denial of World Championships Rights to Durban in 2022
In 2015, Durban secured the right to host the 2022 World Athletics Championships, marking a historic milestone as the first African host city. However, SASCOC and its government partners failed to meet key contractual deadlines, provide necessary financial guarantees, or establish a functioning organizing committee. In 2017, the World Athletics Federation officially stripped Durban of the right to host the event. This failure caused immense international condemnation for South African sports administration, destroyed millions in preliminary preparation costs, and severely damaged SASCOC's credibility in the eyes of global sports organizations.
Redirection of National Lottery Commission (NLC) Grant
In 2024, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) received an order from the Special Tribunal requiring SASCOC and former officials to return nearly 25 million rand. The Tribunal ruled that the 2016 National Lottery Commission grant, which was specifically intended for high-level athlete development and Olympic preparation, was illegally diverted through an uncontrolled non-profit channel using forged documents and fake identification. This ruling exposed deep flaws in SASCOC's financial control systems and triggered widespread calls for criminal prosecution.
