BNOC dismisses BAA claims over Mooketsi

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Staff Writer | Wednesday January 9, 2013 00:00

 

The Games' Local Organising Committee and BNOC tried to stop Mooketsi, who was the athletics team manager, from travelling with the team under unclear reasons. Mooketsi said the BNOC owes his association a report on why it wanted him removed from the travelling party.

BNOC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tuelo Serufho rubbished Mooketsi's claims saying the issue has been resolved. He said they wanted to remove Mooketsi from the team because they had issues with him, but declined to reveal the contentious details claiming it's an internal matter. Serufho said Mooketsi was allowed to go to London as outstanding issues were resolved. 'We had several meetings with his committee over the matter,' he said.

He said Mooketsi was excluded from the meetings because he was an interested party. 'The matter was resolved long time ago and we do not owe them any report,' he further said. However, other committee members denied any meetings with BNOC.  

Mooketsi told a press conference on Monday that BNOC told him he would not be travelling with the team but would not give him the reasons. He claimed that when he pressed BNOC to give him reasons they then told him that they had changed their minds and that he would travel to London.

The athletics boss said to date they still do not know the reason(s) why the BNOC wanted him removed from the team. Mooketsi said he smells a rat and that BONC is delaying the report because they are trying to hide their own mess.

'Whatever they are trying to hide, one day the truth will come out,' he told journalists.Those close to the matter alleged that BNOC had issues with Mooketsi's conduct. The committee is said to have preferred a different person to be the team manager, but were forced to settle for Mooketsi.