CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) South Africa’s troubled athletics federation said Friday it would seek guidance from the IAAF after being ordered by a court to pay nearly $1 million to an athlete in compensation for injuries he sustained at a meet.
Athletics South Africa said pole-vaulter Jan Blignaut’s case should not have gone to a civil court under IAAF regulations and should have been dealt with through arbitration instead.
ASA said in a statement it will now seek advice from the international athletics body.
The track federation’s attorney, Monty Hacker, said it would also ask the court for a “stay of execution” against the compensation award.
ASA already in severe financial trouble was ordered to pay Blignaut 10.4 million South African rand ($940,000) by a court on Tuesday for head injuries he suffered in a fall at an ASA event in Pretoria in March 2009. Blignaut blamed ASA and its meet officials for negligence and brought a case against the track federation in 2011. He increased his initial claim of around $240,000 to $900,000, ASA said.
ASA said it could be forced into liquidation by the court order after Blignaut had indicated he would resist any attempts to refer the matter to arbitration and wanted his judgment paid immediately and in full. more
