Cricket South Africa (CSA) and some former top players such as Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers have been accused by the Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) committee of racially “biased behavior” against players. According to “ESPNcricinfo,” a 235-page final report filed by SJN committee chief Dumisa Ntsebeza has accused the CSA administration, former captain and current director Smith, current head coach Mark Boucher and former batter de Villiers of unfair discrimination against black players. De Villiers, a much admired figure in South African cricket who recently retired, denied the allegation.
“I support the goals of CSA’s Social Justice and Nation Building process to ensure equal opportunity in cricket,” he tweeted.
“However, in my career I have expressed honest cricket opinions based only on what I thought was best for the team. Never based on anyone’s race. That’s the fact.” The report recommends the appointment of a permanent ombudsman to handle complaints about race and gender in cricket in South Africa. The report also recommended that CSA implement an anonymous complaints policy.
The matter came to light after Boucher and former spinner Paul Adams testified that the latter had been nicknamed, which had racial undertones, by his national teammates, including the current head coach.
The SJN committee report also noted the non-selection of Thami Tsolekile to the national side after Boucher’s retirement in 2012.
“The panel’s decision was totally irrational and showed clear signs of systemic racism,” the report said.
“CSA, Mr Graeme Smith and a number of selectors at the time have failed Mr Tsolekile and many black players of our time in many ways.” The allegations against de Villiers were based on his dealings with Khaya Zondo when he was part of the South African ODI squad that toured India in 2015. He was not selected in the team when JP Duminy was injured before the final game of the series.
In the place of Zondo, Dean Elgar, who was a member of the Test-squad, played in that game.
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The report stated that it was done “just to ensure that a black player was not placed in a position that he believed required more experience.” Boucher had admitted to being one of those who sang a song that contained the taint for which he had already apologized, declaring that white players in South Africa were unprepared for the reality of team dynamics after apartheid.
CSA has said that the SJN process, which was initially scheduled to take four months but was extended to more than six, cost the organization $500,000 but found it “both necessary and productive.”
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