Thank goodness the CGA cross-country season is over.
It was torturous, demanding and as had been the case all season, I left the race venue with aching feet and exhausted from chasing our champions.
When young Dominique Broughton crossed the line to win Benoni’s second gold medal, after Kate van Jaarsveld’s earlier exploits at the CGA cross-country championships on August 17, I knew we had arrived.
What followed were moments of pure joy as I witnessed our youngsters earn podium places while others qualified for next week’s national cross-country championships at Izak Steyl Stadium in Vanderbijlpark.
I was encouraged by those still in development. They may not have won or qualified for nationals, but they have tasted how it feels to compete at that level and will come back stronger next year.
For once, I put my notebook and camera aside and became a spectator. I had seen them all compete during the league phase but nothing came close to their performances at the provincials.
It was a great season, but it left me with some thoughts and chief among those was CGA’s incapability of implementing its own rules.
Why are rules important? They establish how an event is run and without them, there’s no structure to guide athletes on how to play the sport.
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So, why are some CGA officials incapable of implementing their own rules?
A successful championship almost descended into chaos because some coaches and athletes keep on bending CGA’s rules. I believe they know that no punitive measures will be taken against them.
Item 11 of the CGA cross-country rules clearly stated no coach or supporter may run next to a runner on the outside or inside of the running area as it would lead to the disqualification of the athlete.
But this was done repeatedly throughout the season.
At the championships, the province’s famous twins ran after one of their athlete, cheering him on and stopped at the finish in front of the officials as the youngster won his race.
Was anyone disqualified? No.
Coaches from Warriors of the West were stationed at different points of the course and used walkie-talkies to inform each other when their athletes were approaching.
Isn’t this giving an unfair advantage to a runner? Were their athletes disqualified? No. In fact, over 20 of them, as one coach proudly said, are going to the nationals.
Shockingly, a Boxer runner who was supposed to be disqualified for deliberately impeding a competitor meters from the finish line survived punishment after his coach argued his case.
The reality is, when faced with a difficult choice, a person with integrity doesn’t have to weigh options on what’s acceptable or who might benefit the most. They already know the answer lies in what’s honest, fair and just.
I’m by no means suggesting CGA officials lack integrity but they have created an environment where, as George Orwell said, some people are more equal than others.
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