A long-time water polo player, coach, administrator and self-styled activist for the sport has been banned for 10 years for attempting to undermine Swimming SA (SSA), making disparaging remarks about executive members and bringing the organisation into disrepute.
Cape Town-based Brett Redelinghuys, 54, was found guilty of trying to set up an independent body to run water polo separately from the national federation, which also oversees open-water swimming, artistic swimming and diving.
Redelinghuys intended to appeal, his legal representative Matt Kemp confirmed this week, saying he believed the disciplinary process had been flawed since his client was first suspended early last year.
Kemp argued the suspension was a breach of SSA’s constitution and added that the hearing, by the time it took place in November, was conducted even though he and Redelinghuys had explained they were unavailable on the proposed dates.
He further flagged procedural issues along the way, such as a lack of rules setting out disciplinary processes.
The action against Redelinghuys, he explained, relied on by-laws which had seemingly been established to deal with disciplinary infractions for code-of-conduct breaches by team members on tour.
“They’re not designed for the hearing and gathering of evidence, investigation… We’re still waiting for the [SSA] rules,” he added.
At the heart of the issue is deep-seated unhappiness in some quarters of water polo over a perception that they have insufficient say in how they are governed and financed by SSA.
Redelinghuys, apparently tasked by SSA president Alan Fritz to chart a way forward, drew up a plan pushing for water polo to operate autonomously, as is the case in Australia.
Disciplinary chairman John Slater, in his judgment, found that Redelinghuys had circulated a founding document for an autonomous body. “It is common cause that Redelinghuys circulated some harmful emails where disparaging remarks were made against officials and office-bearers of SSA.
“By direct implication he was demanding a split from SSA where water polo should form its own body.”
Slater wrote that SSA CEO Shaun Adriaanse, the only witness to give evidence at the hearing, testified that Redelinghuys had failed to follow correct procedure which required him to raise issues and concerns at general council meetings.
“Redelinghuys knew the internal processes in laying a complaint, but [chose] to defy the constitution and commenced with a totally unacceptable action by sending disparaging e-mail messages to several members and worse, initiating a break-away company.”
Slater further stated that Redelinghuys had been informed of the charges timeously. “To make matters worse … the respondent, whether by advice or ignorance, decided to ignore [my] timelines for conducting the hearing, showing a degree of arrogance and derelict behaviour. I could not record any measure of remorse,” wrote Slater, adding the SSA board and Adriaanse should consider defamation proceedings against Redelinghuys.
Slater’s report showed that at least some of the disparaging remarks made by Redelinghuys were contained in e-mails sent months after his suspension, during which time Kemp alleged they’d had little co-operation from SSA on requested information and documents.
Adriaanse said SSA policy prevented him from discussing internal matters such as disciplinary hearings.
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