4.4 Good sportmanship and fairness  (Page 3/5)

The incident occurred in public on Saturday 6 July after the tenth race when Maharaj is said to have given the supervisor, Steve Arendse, a bloody nose. Maharaj is also accused of having sworn at officials of the Jockey Club and of displaying aggressive and insulting behaviour in the supervisor’s rooms at Greyville.

David Beasely, a senior advocate from Gauteng, is the chairman of the investigating council.

Other charges against Maharaj include swearing at the chief supervisor, Roger Smith, after Maharaj had telephoned him in connection with the handicap of a horse of which he was in charge.

Apparently Maharaj also telephoned the senior handicapper, Colin Buckman, in connection with the same horse, swore at him and insulted him by calling him a “dog”.

In a transcript of a tape recording that was made in the manager’s rooms and was presented as evidence, Maharaj is alleged to have approached the chairman of the supervisory council, Trevor Taylor, to lay a charge, but he was informed by Taylor that the case was already being investigated.

Maharaj left the manager’s rooms, whereupon he came to blows with Paul Gadsby, the riding master of the Jockeys’ Academy. Maharaj accused Gadsby of attacking him, but according to Taylor, Gadsby had not touched Maharaj.

A violent exchange of words followed, whereupon Maharaj allegedly attempted to hit Taylor and was restrained by members of the supervisory council.

Maharaj was finally persuaded to leave the manager’s rooms, but later returned with some security officials after allegedly having struck Arendse on the parade track.

Maharaj was informed that his conduct would be investigated, whereupon he was escorted from the track on Taylor’s instructions.

Gadsby admitted under cross-examination that he had struck Maharaj, but only after Maharaj had sworn at him.

Reggie Reddy represented Maharaj and the case was adjourned until 23 October.

Die burger, 11 march 2002 (translated report)

Chaos after two women claim to have won cycle tour

CAPE TOWN. A huge dispute occurred at the winning-post of the Cape Argus and Pick ‘n Pay cycle tour after Anriëtte Schoeman from the Eastern Cape was first crowned as the winner in the women’s category, but later had her results suspended after a relatively unknown cyclist had entered complaints about her performance.

Ronel Liss, a former field athlete from Stellenbosch, told track officials seconds after the prizes had been awarded, that she had been the first woman to cross the line.

The organisers decided to delay the initial results so that an investigation could be done into Liss and Schoeman’s results. Ms Marlene Blaauw, spokesperson for the organisers, explained that it could take up to 48 hours.

TV recordings show that Liss had indeed crossed the line first and that she had ended about 15 seconds before Schoeman.

However, the other leading women in the race allege that they had not seen her at any other stage in the race.

The media and officials descended upon Schoeman after she had crossed the line.