I am staying, says Sam

Sam Ramsamy has "no intention whatsoever" of stepping down as president of the National Olympic Committee (Nocsa) before the end of his current term.

The 65-year-old one-time anti-apartheid activist is in his third and final term as head of the most powerful sporting organisation in the land, and he has every intention of staying right where he is until November 2004, when Nocsa's next elections take place.

"As long as my constituency is happy with me, I will continue," said the man who has been accused of mismanagement by, among others, former Nocsa secretary-general Dan Moyo and Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene, a Nocsa executive member.

"I will leave on my terms. By stepping down now, I will be giving in to critics who have no grounds on which to base their allegations."

One allegation is that he deliberately hid the fact that he is a paid employee as well as an elected official.

"Everyone knows that I am paid. In fact, even the minister (of sport, Ngconde Balfour,) knows," Ramsamy said.

"Nocsa's primary goal has and always will be to ensure optimum performances from our athletes.

"However, those who are bringing Nocsa into disrepute do not have the interests of the athletes at heart."

After voluntarily stepping down next November, Ramsamy sees himself becoming more of an ambassador for South Africa working closely with Tourism SA.