Get in touch
555-555-5555
mymail@mailservice.com
Media verklaring - 2 September 2020
Terug na media
Hou politiek uit sport
(Scroll down for English statement)
Vir onmiddellike vrystelling
Verklaring deur Jan Bosman
Hoofsekretaris van die Afrikanerbond
Lesse van die verlede – Hou politiek uit sport
Krieket Suid-Afrika steier tans van die een selfgeskepte krisis na die ander. Die raadsaalpolitiek word vererger deur die ongetwyfelde beïnvloeding van die Minister van Sport, Nathi Mthethwa en sy obsessie met ras.
Die nuutste raskaart wat Krieket SA nou speel is om slegs swart (lees swart, bruin en Indiër) konsultante aan te stel ten einde transformasie na te jaag. Meriete en prestasie is lankal opsy geskuif. Is ons besig om die bose rassirkel te voltooi en word daar nie uit die foute van die verlede geleer nie?
Krieket Suid-Afrika wat politieke inmenging toelaat kan eersdaags dieselfde pad stap as Zimbabwe. Die Internasionale Krieketraad (ICC) het Zimbabwe in Julie 2019 geskors weens die versuim om die sport vry te hou van inmenging deur die regering. "We do not take the decision to suspend a member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference" het die voormalige voorsitter van die Internasionale Krieketraaad Shashank Manohar toe gewaarsku.
Raadsaalpolitiek en inmenging in sport deur lede van die regering kan enige sportkode ernstig knou. Rassisme kan nie rasteikens in ʼn meriete gedrewe spel regstel nie. Word Krieket SA se obsessie met sosiale manipulering deur “demografiese verteenwoordiging” dan die norm?
Veral van belang is dat die volgende scenario’s kan voortspruit uit die obsessie met ras:
- Uitsendings se kykers en ondersteunersgetalle in pawiljoene kan moontlik sportliefhebbers se renons in rasbeheptheid en politiek begin weerspieël
- Sportliefhebbers begin reeds kies om tot ʼn sekere mate nie-rasbehepde lande se spanne te ondersteun, en
- Privaat afrigting en privaatklubs word aangemoedig maar sodra die potensiaal ontwikkel is word oorsese kontrakte verwerf deur spelers wat weet dat hulle velkleur teen hulle gaan tel Wil die minister regtig SA se talentvolle spelers hul toekoms in hul eie land ontneem?..
Ons wil die minister van sport aanmoedig om veel eerder die sport te ontwikkel in die gebiede waar dit saak maak, naamlik skole en landelike areas en so die beste talente na vore te bring. Talent word ontsluit deur die vermoë en kapasiteit te skep en nie die syfers in raadsale en nasionale spanne kunsmatig te manipuleer nie.
“Regstellende aksie” dien hoegenaamd nie die belang van sport in die algemeen en dan veral sportmanne en vroue - wit, swart, bruin en Indiër - wat slegs hul beste wil gee nie.
________________________________________________________
For immediate release
Statement by Jan Bosman
Chief Secretary of the Afrikanerbond
Lessons from the past - - Keep politics out of sports
Cricket South Africa is currently reeling from one self-inflicted crisis to another. Boardroom politics are undoubtedly exacerbated by the interference of the Minister of Sport Nathi Mthethwa and his obsession with race.
Cricket SA’s latest race-card is the intention to appoint only black (read Black, Coloured and Indian) consultants in order to pursue transformation. Merit and performance have long been set aside. Are we now completing the vicious race circle in South Africa and have we not learned from the mistakes of the past?
Cricket South Africa, which allows the political interference, may soon follow the same path as Zimbabwe. The International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended Zimbabwe in July 2019 for failing to keep the sport free from government interference. "We do not take the decision to suspend a member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference" the former chairperson of the International Cricket Council, Shashank Manohar, warned at the time.
Boardroom politics and interference in sport by government can seriously damage any sporting code. Racism and race targets cannot be enforced when merit and performance should be the ultimate goal. Cricket SA's obsession with social manipulation through "demographic representation" is becoming the norm.
Of particular importance is that the following scenarios may arise from the obsession with race:
- Both viewers' and supporters in pavilions could possibly begin to reflect sports fans' disgust with race obsession and politics in sport.
- There are signs that sport fans are already beginning to choose to support the teams of countries where racism is not present in the composition of teams.
- Private coaching and private clubs are encouraged but once the potential is developed, overseas contracts are acquired by players who know that their skin colour will stop them form playing for the national teams. Does the minister really want to deprive SA's talented players of their future in their own country?
We want to encourage the Minister of Sport to rather develop the sport in the areas where it matters, namely schools and rural areas and thus develop the best talents. Talent is unlocked by creating the ability and capacity and not artificially manipulating the numbers of national teams in boardrooms.
"Affirmative action" does not serve the interests of sports in general and then especially those sportsmen and women - White, Black, Coloured and Indian - who only want to give their best.
