By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Xaba Promotions boss Ayanda Matiti has called for Boxing South Africa (BSA) to change its sanctioning model.
Matiti says the current model used by BSA – where the organisation is entitled to a five percent cut in the money promoters generate from sponsorships – “robs” promoters.
He added that active promoters end up owing BSA because of the current sanctioning model.
“The problems, in my own view, that the fraternity must comprehend with have never been interrogated. For example, a sanctioning model for South Africa,” Matiti said.
“When I arrived as a promoter, I spoke out and I said that the sanctioning model was wrong. You stage a tournament after having gone out to secure sponsorships elsewhere. Once I declare to BSA the amount I got from sponsorships then BSA wants five percent from the money without even looking at my tournament expenses. We as promoters get double taxed. BSA should never demand a percentage of the money we get from sponsorships. BSA doesn’t stage tournaments, promoters do.”
The award-winning promoter insists that it does not make sense for BSA to be interested only on its cut and not look at promoters’ expenses after a tournament.
“There is a form we fill after tournaments. That form doesn’t have a column where promoters should write their expenditure. It only has a column of what a promoter has received in sponsorships. That’s a wrong column. We need a column for promoters’ expenses as well,” Matiti remarked.
“What irritates me the most about the model is that we pay a lot of money because BSA doesn’t calculate its five percent against what we get from sponsorships and what the tournament expenses are. For you to owe BSA means that you are the most active. When you are not owing anything it means that you are not staging tournaments.”
The East London-based promoter revealed that promoters once sought a legal opinion regarding the current sanctioning model and were advised that it was flawed.
“Lawyers told us that the model was wrong. We approached BSA where they promised to get their lawyers to look into the matter,” said Matiti.
“Then Minister of Sport Toko Xasa asked us as promoters and BSA to settle this matter out of court. She appointed Mr Mthobi Tyamzashe to look into the matter. Minister Nathi Mthethwa came and then we seemed to be finding each other with former BSA CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka. We agreed in principle that the model was not right. However, BSA through Lejaka came up with exorbitant fees while we wanted fees for the South African context. They then decided to abandon the matter.”
