Beleaguered wrestler is still ‘eligible’ for Games

Embattled wrestler Arno van Zijl is still eligible for selection to the Commonwealth Games, even with disciplinary proceedings against him, SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Barry Hendricks said yesterday.

The 20-year-old is one of three SA wrestlers who won medals in Olympic weight categories at the recent African championships to put themselves in contention for Games selection, alongside Steyn de Lange and Edward Lessing.

Wrestling was not included when Sascoc made its first team announcement earlier this month, apparently because of the pending matter against Van Zijl.

The deadline for entries to the multisport showpiece in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8 closes on Wednesday, a Sascoc official confirmed.

Van Zijl’s lawyer, Shane Wafer, said there had been a gentleman’s agreement with the SA Wrestling Federation (SAWF) at the start of the hearing in early April that his client’s participation at the continental competition would not be jeopardised.

But he said the federation was reluctant to make a similar arrangement for the Commonwealth Games when the hearing finally ended early this month, causing concern that Van Zijl’s selection could be in jeopardy.

Hendricks, however, put those fears to bed yesterday when he said the wrestler had not been suspended. “If the process hasn’t been concluded then that person is still part of the selection process.”

Van Zijl is on trial for changing his weight category to a lighter division at the junior world championships without approval from the SAWF executive, although he had been given the thumbs up from the federation’s coaching council.

The SAWF executive insisted he had qualified in the heavier category. But that was at a trials staged in early 2021 for an African competition that was cancelled because of Covid.

Van Zijl had been allowed to change weight category by the world championship organisers, but the SAWF board, when it found out what he had done, had him withdrawn from the tournament shortly before his first contest.

Wafer has accused the SAWF of delaying the disciplinary process.

They postponed the hearing by more than a month to call a witness they later decided they no longer needed, he said.

Now the SAWF delayed matters further by making a late payment for the hearing transcripts, which were needed for final arguments to be drawn up.

The parties had agreed to split the transcript costs, with Van Zijl paying his share on June 7. The transcripts had been completed by June 17, but because the SAWF hadn’t paid, they couldn’t be released.

Wafer wrote to the hearing chairman, Peter Wilkins, on Thursday asking him to step in. “This is causing an immeasurable prejudice to our client,” he wrote in the letter, seen by the Sunday Times. “Our client cannot afford any unnecessary delays in this matter. We have followed up with attorneys representing the SAWF, who have not replied.”

Wafer said the SAWF finally showed proof of payment on Friday and the transcripts were made available.

Neither SAWF president Sakkie Bosse nor Gerrie Grove, who is acting for the SAWF in the matter, responded to questions sent to them on WhatsApp on Friday afternoon.