South African Firebrand Graeme Joffe Blasts Swimming South Africa’s Handling of Zandberg Hearing

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 19. SOUTH African radio personality and columnist Graeme Joffe has kept his eye very close on the Gerhard Zandberg situation, and just launched another blast against Swimming South Africa in how it is handling the Zandberg suspension.

On his blog, SportsFire, Joffe reports that Zandberg’s initial appeal hearing regarding his two-year suspension had to be postponed because of a lack of the proper amount of Swimming South Africa members being in attendance.

According to Joffe:

The SSA constitution states:

” Each Technical Committee, other than Water Polo, shall comprise of five (5) members, with two (2) members being elected at the Annual General Meeting and the remaining two (2) members appointed by the Executive Committee at the Annual Meeting.”

But at the hearing on Tuesday, only those present were independent chairperson Raymond Hack, Swim SA CEO Shaun Adriaanse and Dave Norman.

Zandberg drew the ire of Swimming South Africa at the World Championships in Barcelona when he relocated from his room assignment with a then-ill Cameron van der Burgh. Zandberg wound up with a R$ 5,000 fine, a two-year suspension from the sport, one-year community service requirement and his immediate withdrawal from all World Cup events.

For a full explanation of the situation itself, check out our previous reporting.

Zandberg now has to wait until Oct. 2 for his newest appeal hearing, with the hopes that Swimming South Africa is able to field a full appeals board to hear it.

Zandberg is hoping to keep everything civil, as he tweeted last week.

Just a point of interest…there was no ‘lashing’ out at SwimSA. I want a fair trial. And the truth will be known. Thats all.? Gerhard Zandberg (@ZandbergGerhard) September 10, 2013

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