*New And Improved* Cycling South Africa

[djvr]

And all I want to do is cycle in races. Now the politics have taken over cycling as well. CSA wil go the same way as athletics. Bankrupt within a year of being associated with SASCOC.

['Dale]

The Western Cape is in a different system, at this stage...

 

Good or bad?

 

Dunno.

Yet.

[Napalm]

And all I want to do is cycle in races. Now the politics have taken over cycling as well. CSA wil go the same way as athletics. Bankrupt within a year of being associated with SASCOC.

 

They're already bankcrupt, even before any association with SASCOC

['Dale]

They're already bankcrupt, even before any association with SASCOC

 

YIP!

[scotty]

Just want to do the odd road and MTB race, don't really care if its CSA, CGC, PPA etc sanctioned or not, AND the administrators of the race are not selective as to which timing company (PPA = WT )

[Java001]

And all I want to do is cycle in races. Now the politics have taken over cycling as well. CSA wil go the same way as athletics. Bankrupt within a year of being associated with SASCOC.

 

 

It was perhaps well overdue that someone challenged CSA’s strangle hold and control of cycling. In a modern society, where co-operation and consensus should rule, this big stick mentality of “we will not sanction or approve your race, if you don’t belong to CSA and/or do it the CSA way”, should NEVER be allowed.

 

Perception often counts for more than hard facts and the perception around CSA (ironically within the cycling fraternity that they should serve) is that they are managed by corrupt and incompetent officials, who simply via a flawed voting system do not represent the needs of the majority of cyclists. So they have had a major credibility crisis on their hands for a number of years and this is not going to be helped by what seems to be a rather heavy handed way of dealing with PPA, who in terms of numbers seem to be a big stakeholder in South African recreational cycling.

 

Much of it has to do with CSA feeling cosy and secure in the knowledge that they are effectively a government sporting body tasked by Government with transformation of the sport and are therefore authorised to “tax” cyclists, who mostly neither need nor want them, but are forced via Provincial bodies to support them. To back them up when challenged, they rely on big brother, SASCOC, who in turn is prescribed to and financed by LOTTO – so it’s a very simple structure, that apart from the occasional few million rand going missing between LOTTO, SASCOC and CSA, has actually until know exploited recreational cycling quite effectively.

 

Problem is that if membership and licensing were not compulsory, very few, if any, cyclists or provinces would pay any license fees to belong to CSA. CSA has little to offer Mr Average Cyclist, who really is neither impressed nor concerned with them apparently being the only recognised SA body allowed UCI affiliation.

 

PPA make some very valid legal claims and due to the loss of numbers involved for CSA, they will not be able to “allow” PPA members to cease being CSA licensed, so we are likely to see a HUGE battle in 2012 that is more than likely going to involve some government intervention via the Department of Sport and Recreation and others.

 

Maybe, just maybe, something good can come from all of this?

Edited February 28, 2012 by Java001

[Velouria]

I thought point 2 below was interesting (from an email CSA sent out on the 18th of Feb):

 

As from 1 January 2013, the following will apply:

• All cycling events will have to be sanctioned by CyclingSA via the provincial affiliates. This is to ensure that all events are run in a safe environment with all the necessary measures in place, such as traffic regulations and safety aspects.
  
• All events seeking TV coverage will have to be endorsed by CyclingSA
  

 

How on earth do they plan to regulate that? And why?

[Garfield2010]

Triathlon SA asks something like R7,500 extra per even should you require TV coverage. No they dont organise it, they have nothing to do with it, they just want the money..

 

I hate this bull***t of the sport belonging to somebody..........

 

I should belong to no one.

 

Get 5 different bodies to compete against each other, host events and it will sort itsself out....

 

Mmmm let me see, am I going to race XXX companies race this weekend or YYY companies? One crap race and you are done......

 

Which is the best organised and which is the cheapest.... We want competition and choice.......... not this "Its Our sport so you will pay so that we can endorse you" (WTF ever that means................)

['Dale]

@ Java001...

 

Super post.

[The Saint]

I thought point 2 below was interesting (from an email CSA sent out on the 18th of Feb):

 

 

As from 1 January 2013, the following will apply:

• All cycling events will have to be sanctioned by CyclingSA via the provincial affiliates. This is to ensure that all events are run in a safe environment with all the necessary measures in place, such as traffic regulations and safety aspects.
  
• All events seeking TV coverage will have to be endorsed by CyclingSA
  

How on earth do they plan to regulate that? And why?

Simple CSA want their cut of the TV Rites just like they take their cut from your license fees, entry fees, club fees and even prize money. Their little fingers are everywhere doing absolutely nothing in return for the monies they are being paid.

[The Saint]

I would like to see a funrider on Super Cycling next Time Greg Till is on and simply ask him one question. "Mr Till for the monies which I pay you what do you do for me?"

 

I think he will be flicking through another of his Dickens books to try to find a quote which says "little or nothing"

[Garfield2010]

It's called double taxing. The government also does it. Anybody surprised?

[gogo@]

If I remember right, under CSA rules, you cannot organize a race without their sanction which means collecting licence fees?? How does the sport grow then? Organizers have to fork out to the traffic department as well (why? Do we only have Mon to Fri 9-5 cops?) and sponsorship is limited. So costs go up... and we complain it's getting too expensive. That's us who have mostly spent a good few grand on our hobby. So what about developing the sport?

We have a local example of a race that is no more because of this kind of nonsense. Local bike shops also lose out.

I can go on.

This is ridiculous. Monkey-stick-paw-in-jar, jar-breaks stuff.

Hope there is a way through and one positive is that PPA IS there and fighting it out, whichever way it goes.

[The Drongo]

It reminds me of a book called "Animal Farm"

How so?

Because in the end the people that took over the new leadership ended up being even worse than the people who was in charge initially.

 

It is about communism. It is about exactly what happened in RSA.

 

Get the book, it is a great read:-- Animal Farm - George Orwell

 

NOW available - in book stores everywhere!

[Danger Dassie]

Simple CSA want their cut of the TV Rites just like they take their cut from your license fees, entry fees, club fees and even prize money. Their little fingers are everywhere doing absolutely nothing in return for the monies they are being paid.

 

Far as I know the broadcasters are paid to air the content, they don't pay for TV rights. Unless it's the big 3, soccer, cricket and rugby.

Of course there may be exceptions, like the status of event, sponsorships, advertising etc...

[Thug]

It appears to me that CSA see PPA as a massive cash cow that will sort their liquidity problems out, overnight. 18 000 members at R75 per member is a massive incentive to try and relegate the PPA to "club" status.

 

 

In so far as CSA charging a R35 day licence per rider for the 9 days of Joburg2C, If I were the J2C organisers, I would fight CSA's demand for a R35 per day fee. J2C is not 9 separate races and I bet CSA's constituiton and regulations only specify the R35 payable as a day licence for a (single) RACE. I reckon, it is totally unenforceable.

 

But of course us South African's are used to being shafted by governing bodies, so once again, mtb riders, apply a liberal dose of vaseline.

 

I would then recommend the cheapest club out there, which is probably ROAG to get away with only paying the annual R75. Kind of like the lesser of two evils.