Imveli Cycling Academy founder and CEO Lukholo Badi has been stripped of all official association with the sport of cycling.
This follows an East Cape Cycling and Cycling South Africa (CSA) investigation, hearing and appeals process, which has now upheld the sanctions placed on Badi, who was accused by the sport’s governing bodies of age-group fixing.
While Badi, the current Herald Citizen of the Year, had contested the findings of the hearing and the sanctions on procedural grounds and a claim that the association held no jurisdiction over him in his personal capacity, both were rejected.
According to the CSA, Badi had also failed to lodge an appeal during the two appeal windows opened for him.
In addition to the sanction to be applied to Badi in his personal capacity, CSA also upheld its sanction against his youth cycling development academy and club in Kwazakhele, which will now be placed under administration.
Badi has been slapped with a three-year ban effective from July 31 2018.
The disciplinary action, which stems from an investigation by East Cape Cycling, is enforced by the sport’s national authority, the CSA, and effectively bans Badi from association with any officially recognised cycling body.
According to the CSA, Badi is “sanctioned by restriction to any association within the sport of cycling, which includes canvassing and/or receiving any sponsorship contributions under the auspices of cycling”.
In addition, the academy and club are to be placed under the immediate administration of East Cape Cycling, which has been instructed to request financial statements from the club treasurer.
East Cape Cycling’s administrative role will also include an audit of the club’s bank account, particularly with respect to contributions from sponsors, with comparisons to be made around how this money was spent.
Both the regional and national bodies said on Friday that they now considered the case against Badi closed.
But Badi’s legal representative insisted on Sunday that the case was far from over and that Badi therefore did not accept the ruling and sanction against him.
This was evidenced by Badi’s Facebook page, which reflects a flurry of engagements over the past seven days.
One post, on Friday, shows images of Badi and Imveli’s engagement with members of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (Nadel).
Accompanying the images is a post by Badi which reads: “Thank you to National Association of Democratic Laywers (sic) (NADEL) Port Elizabeth & District branch for the kind support towards our international cycle tour. We are great full (sic) to be the CSI project of NADEL.”
East Cape Cycling’s Dennis Ehlers said the CSA had issued a notice to its members last week on the outcome of the investigation into the alleged agegroup fixing.
“East Cape Cycling became aware of irregularities after observing that Imveli Cycling Academy’s riders’ dates of birth had been captured incorrectly by Mr Badi onto race entries and on Cycling South Africa’s licensing applications, resulting in the riders competing with incorrect licences and in age groups below their actual ages,” the CSA said.
“This prompted East Cape Cycling to convene a three-person tribunal to fully investigate the allegations.
“The tribunal found that Mr Badi had not simply made an error on the relevant documentation but had intentionally altered official government documentation to support the amended identity numbers.”
Badi’s legal representative, Bukky Olowookorun, said: “It’s not over yet.
“We will make an appropriate statement at the appropriate time. But this is not the end of it yet,” she said.
Tiso Blackstar Port Elizabeth general manager Nadeem Joshua said: “This is an extremely unfortunate situation.
“We will need to re-evaluate Mr Badi’s reign as The Herald’s Citizen of the Year in light of this.
“We will ensure that we make an informed decision in this regard.”
Western Cape-based Nadel spokesperson Fazoe Sydow said they would be investigating the matter.
Badi could not be reached for comment and did not respond to voicemail messages left for him.