Isn’t it ironic that one of the cornerstones in the fight against apartheid was sporting isolation? The fact that South African team selections were based on race was so abhorrent to the international sporting community that the country was sent packing until it got its house in order.
The International Olympic Committee has confirmed inter alia the following in its charter: “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind … The organisation, administration and management of sport must be controlled by independent sports organisations.
“Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”
Today I read Neil Manthorpe’s article on the disgraceful racism practised by their cricket counterparts.
In yesterday’s article on rugby I gave you a reference to a Business Day article wherein soccer administrators admitted that they fell woefully short when it came to investment in our youth.
All three major sports are receiving billions and all three are complaining about transformation at a time when black control has effectively been exercised for 14 years.
In other words, the billions are not being invested in our kids — fat commissions for landing the World Cup go to administrators and billions are finding their way into coffers, but it’s only a trickle into development.
It seems to me that because they refuse to pour the billions into our youth, South African sports administrators believe that the way to get around this criminal omission is to make any non-white player a Protea or Springbok and call that transformation!
That’s not transformation because our black kids and our other children are a treasure trove waiting to be tapped.
Problem is, why bother parting with cash when you can put tokens into teams and bullshit us about that being transformation?
If anyone gave a rat’s arse about these kids, they would have moved heaven and earth to get the television rights for them. Instead they would rather disgrace us again by practising racism!
Previously we were isolated because of racist legislation, practices and government interference in sport. That is exactly what is happening right now!
Must the sportsmen and -women of our country call for sanctions until government interference is halted, racist practices are outlawed and transformation in the form of our youth rather than our administrators benefiting from our sporting wealth is achieved?
Gentlemen, you are a national disgrace!
Must we wait until another groundswell in sport takes place before real transformation takes place? Do we need a Polokwane-type blood-letting before the people who care about the kids are put into place?
Right now the kids get a fraction of the benefit the billions bring, little or no televised sport, and lies, lies, lies: the selectors are forced to select tokens in order to confirm transformation as a cover-up to the real crime of the century; and the wealth of our sport is being kept rather than invested in them.
Gentlemen, you are a national disgrace! (So true I said it twice.)
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48 Responses to “South African sport is racist and may require sanctions all over again”
Hi Mike
I have read your last 2 articles and I would like to congratulate you for holding high the torch of sport that we are so passion about in South Africa. Sport is played by sportsmen and should be run by administrators who make decisions based on sport not politics. Some administrators would like us believe that you have to mix the 2, I say rubbish to that. Sport administrators should be interested only on what is good for the sport and have the passion to develop the game not the power to manipulate for self betterment. It is this passion which is the driving force behind our organisation - South African Rugby Legends Association who are implementing programs thru out the country using former first class players who want to give back to their communities and help the game grow especially in the formerly disadvantaged communities, not only from a sport perspective but also from a social reponsibilty aspect - check out our website www.sarugbylegends.com.
We salute you for making an effort to keep politics out of Sport.
Factual Reporting. That is what the international sports bodies charters do say.
Manipulating what a sportsman can achieve based on his race rather than his ability, is racist, and a gross violation of human rights — of course this is what we objected to in the Apartheid era. Because it was done in the past is no justification for doing it now, in any form.
To make the Olympic bodies acceptance of conditions in South Africa today - legitimate, they would need to revise their Charter. These revisions of necessity would need to make provision for lawfully discriminating against any individual of a race or region which has benefited in the past due to human rights violations against other races or ethnic groups. Can you imagine the global chaos that would result from such an inclusion.
It will never happen, because discriminating against individuals in access to sport is a human rights violation.
Sport is an extension of a society, the situation on our sports fields is just an extension of the human rights violations taking place.
The only difference is this.
The current victims are made to believe that they have no recourse, they have been lenient in accommodating the requirements of nation building and it is about time that they start campaigning to the world to highlight the gross human rights violations taking place here both in Sport and in the wider society.
Great article. Absolutely agree with you and good on you for speaking out. Personally , they are a bunch of idiots and con artists that I am sure ,they believe dressing in a smart tie and a Amarni suite with wide toothy smiles, makes them anything different from what they are.
Very good article but will it reach and change the ‘decision makers’ hearts.
Have spent the past 3/4 weeks reading the M&G blogs and we S. Africans talk AT and PAST each other instead of TO and WITH each other.
Agree 200% (very un-PC) to separate sports and politics AT THE LEVEL OF ADMINISTRATION LEVEL(look what sports and politics mixing did did in Apartheid times). Let sports administrators administer sport and let Government get involved and LEAD youth upliftment and sports facilities developments + keep a close and watchful eye that the administrators do not practice racialism or eat to much from the trough of media/promotion funds at the expense of their sports development down to the lowest levels.
If things carry on as they are in rugby the loyal fans willing to pay high prices to see a live test match will start staying away .If there is one thing that will stump Stofile&co’s feeble party political ideologically based attempts at transformation ,it is the lack of money.
He is great at trashing any constructive attempts to promote Rugby - while he himself has the protection of his bully boy brother .It is just a matter of time before as they say in Afrikaans - “Hulle kirinkies gaan braai”
Steve van Niekerk on February 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I suspect it would be a far better approach to call sports administrators incompetent in general.
Instead of sensationalist bullshit that surrounds especially a sport like rugby, SARU for instance has committed itself to transformation several times and released mandates and charters and pretty PR but it’s not like they have managed to do anything but marginalise a bigger talent pool.
Hi Michael.I cannot agree more. In April 1971, ANC spokesperson Abdul Minty declared as follows in a document addressed to the United Nations Unit on Apartheid, which called for continuation of the international boycott of South African sport: “All links with racialist bodies should be abolished until sport inside South Africa is conducted on the basis of merit alone and not of colour.” Following South Africa’s re-entry into international sport in the early 1990s, it became clear that the post-1994 government has proceeded to follow a clear and aggressively-pursued agenda to re-racialise sport, especially rugby, at all levels. The ANC has come the full circle in their views on the role of political interference, racial policies and merit in sport. Maybe it is time that we remind the international community of Minty’s 1971 declaration.
Anybody who watched the “baai baai Polly” ODI would have seen a prime example of just how well most South Africans are prepared to get on if only the politicians,talk show hosts, social comentators etc would just leave them alone and stop driving a wedge between us all for no reason other than personal points scoring!!
Excellent article Traps, i couldn’t have said it better myself….probably would have used more expletives and directed my attention to their fat-bellies and such, i won’t go there.
Sad thing is that they also probably think that you’re part of the racial media and trying to bury ANC/BLACKS/COMMIES/FORMER EXILES and such. I’m tired of my black brothers hiding behind lies, their bullshit stinks more and more these days.
Invest the money in the youth or we might see another phase of load-shuddering in the ranks of SAFA, SARU, ICC and other currently useless bodies. And i still don’t understand why we have so much political intervention/fondling(Stoffie-le) in this country.
anton kleinschmidt on February 7th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Well said. It’s sadly all true and the tragedy ought to bring us all to tears. The sad thing is that unfortunately the last thing these ‘administrators’ have in mind is sport and the pursuit of excellent, not even the national interest. It seems to be more about the easiest route to making bucks and playing the ‘race card’ license as much as possible, and then steering finds towards private agendas. Simple solution but probably hard to implement: let’s select officials who were previous champions in the sport. People who have an obvious love for sport. Sadly the bullshitting extends right through SA sport, from swimming to hockey to cycling. Cycling is a case in point. Remember Ryan Cox who died? He had to borrow funds from a fellow cyclist. Did CSA know about his troubles or offer to help? Top riders say the CSA officials travel and stay first class overseas while riders are dumped together in lower class hotels, with many riders sharing rooms. Robbie Hunter also compares the Australian admin to ours. There is like zero support for cyclists doing their thing overseas from SA. So my question is, what is the point of these gatekeeping officials. To obstruct and prvode a ticketing function, to mine a sport wherever they can for whatever they can? From the sportsperson’s perspective, where a person is motivated by a pure sense of excellence, this consistent sabotage (instead of support) is cruel and pathetic. Jake White’s book shows to what extent meddling is not in the name of sport or merit, and yet although we all know this, it continues.
I hope when SARU’s President’s Council prove to what extent they’re prepared to alter SA rugby there will be some sort of sanity that prevails. Shouldn’t these sports bodies be answerable to the public in the sense that sport serves the public’s interest?
Traps, I agree, The big three are not doing nearly enough to develop sports at grassroots level. We have a huge pool of talent that can be tapped and these guys are doing…well…I don’t know what the hell it is they’re doing.
We should see investment in sport from primary school level up. Who knows how many potential greats we’ve already lost (in all sports) because they were just never given a chance to develop.
Today a talented and gifted “black sportsman” must constantly wonder if he really has been elected on merit. How aweful for this poor man/woman to have to be subjected to that self doubt. Racism is demoralising in any form, but clearly the powers that be and the cowards that they are use it as a powerful tool to advance their own political agendas. Sis on you!!!
The minister of sport said he is just doing what the apartheid government did when they mixed politics and sport. Couldn’t he learn from the mistakes of apartheid? My understanding was that the ANC would correct all the mistakes of the Apartheid Regime, or was it not a mistake?
I am tired of bored, embittered white people with nothing to do but bitch and moan complaining about transformation in sport. I implore you all to move beyond your couch and go to some provincial trials and tell me what you see until then I don’t think this issue is worth discussing……. I have seen talented black players not chosen by provincial selectors even though they were better than the white players who they ended up choosing…. What is going on? Why do so many talented black players die in development? Why are the young men at SOWETO Rugby club being chosen to go to New Zealand yet are not good enough for provincial level, there is something seriously wrong here?
Carlos Perreira confirmed at the start of his reign that in Brazil they export something like 5000 players a year.
He was very concerned about an infrastructure that was not producing youngsters anywhere near where we should be.
The administrators confirmed they are nowhere near where they should be as regards development.
This in a totally black run sport for the last 14 plus years and which is raking in billions.
Yet Rugby and Cricket are expected to put up tokens in order to front for these administrators
who would rather pocket the cash or go on expensive trips than put it into development.
Lets examine the accounts and find out where all the money is going - I want teams built on merit which based on demographics should be black - unless the money is not being used to develop our children!
Easy way to solve the problem. Stop watching sport (TV and stadiums) and you take away their money. That way you hurt them where it matters. They can not continue without fans. What about rugby and cricket players going on strike and refuse to play until racism and interference is removed from sport? It is time to stand together and say enough is enough!
“Transformation” is a legacy of the Thabo Mbeki rabid racial-engineering era. Thabo’s a lame duck now, marking time until he retreats into retirement in his mansion behind his taxpayer-funded R90 million security fence.
Who knows, maybe “transformation” will one day be just as big a swear word as “apartheid”?
The Eskom crisis has kicked off that game rather well.
Staying away from the game is not the answer…….the games are seen as representative of racism and the administrators would have no qualms about seeing the demise of rugby and cricket — conveniently at the hands of the supporters.
The issue is the sporting community acted against political selections of sports teams and that it has now just been reversed. White players some only 4 or 5 years old during apartheid can no longer get appointed to teams on merit only, there positions are subject to political quotas.
The result is that millions of spectators around the globe are being defrauded, they are not watching the best talent available, they are watching a showboat, the entire world order of rankings and heirarchy are rubbished by fielding racially manipulated teams in any sport anywhere.
But more importantly, what the world protested against, and what they described as despicable is now being practiced against white people in South Africa….by turning a blind eye, deaf ear — the sporting bodies of the world are implicated as co-abusers of human rights.
The victims are making it all too convenient by hoisting the development and demographics cause, it is time we called it the way it is — it is racialist, and it represents human rights abuses.
Is it time for victims of human rights abuse in South Africa to be heard - to demonstrate, to get shot with rubber bullets by police — depends how much we value human rights! — perhaps!
I enjoy reading your blog but I can’t understand your obsession with politicians choosing the team. Maybe it is time for an all black Bok side to take the field in one of the pre Tri-Nations friendlies.
The big problem in this country, whether in sport, education, economy or Eskom is the arrogance of the ANC which is regretfully not met by a corresponding degree of competence. And they have dropped the torch of non-racism a long time ago thereby loosing the moral high ground as well.
I would support a call for sports isolation until the ruling party comes to its senses or, even better, is voted out of power. But I’m afraid that our current rulers and captains of industry do not have the guts or where-withall to withstand sanctions as the previous order did - see Zimbabwe now and Rhodesia previously. Regretfully, this will take on a racial dimension as well.
A further problem is that those countries who most effectively pushed for change (USA, Scandinavia, etc) would probably not support isolation of this order which they brought about. Forget CODESA, the Nats were with their backs against the wall.
This brings me to another thought; somehow, those who agitated most for radical change in Africa and exerted whatever power to bring this about including a viciousness last seen in the French & Bolshevic revolutions, need to be held accountable for the subsequent disaster and human suffering their ill-considered support of the likes of ZANU, MPLA, FRELIMO, SWAPO, ANC, etc, brought about all over Africa. Putting a guy like Charles Taylor on trial is a bit of a farce since who created him in the first place? Same goes for Mugabe. I believe pushing this agenda will be quite noble but possibly very futile.
Race quotas are for people with a deep-rooted inferiority complex who think money will make any problem go away. Bafana Bafana is a case in point. They cannot fight their way out of a paperbag, and are the laughing stock of the continent.
Why waist our time because we all know that this is a politacal thing where the Government will do as thet please because they want to show us that it is pay back time.
So when do we stop “chatting” and vomiting about the very extremely clear and politically driven racism in sport and DO SOMETHING! Start by NOT supporting the national colours, thus NOT purchasing or brandishing any form or material which reflects national colors. Don’t go to the stadiums or watch the sport on TV and make it clear to others. SUPPORT national initiatives such as Afriforum to bring the political despots to heel or face International boicotts. In the mean time, call foul at embassies and send those currently disadvantaged with potential to other countries for further development and participation. All international players such as Ernie Els should refuse to be connected with RSA and become a “Global” representative.
Well said and congratulations on exposing our sport for what it really is. This is an indelible problem across all sporting codes in our country and will take a miracle to fix. To many people in the mix for their own personal gain be that financial or personal agendas. Their will always be the few that do things for the right reasons and get undermined by those who have only themselves and their masters at hart.It doesnt take a genius to work out that what we need is development at grass roots level, real investment in schools and sporting facillities. That needs to be maintained and overseen by responsible people.People that have no interest, financially or politically, in the esthablisments that they are running and are their to develop the great sporting talent we have in this country. Talent that is being laid to waste by incompetence and greed at the highest level.
isn’t ‘transformation’ what happens when a former exile ANC cadre returns to ANC-rules SA and morphs into a BEE-TENDER-DUDE fat cat?
This previously-advantaged eastern-cape darkie wants to know how to do that. i’m sick of being left behind by the gravy-train the whole time. i’m a sorry excuse for a darkie.
Hey Traps, do you know anyone who can help me on this crusade?
*takes another swig, while fixing his blood-shot eyes at Thabo thesis-reading”
I feel sorry for all the rugby supporters that plan their whole lives around a Saturday Rugby game when the Springbokke must play. How dissapointed they will be when they have to shout - GO PROTEAS! and not the Springbokke. Many young Rugby players dreams are to one day be part of the SPRINGBOK RUGBY TEAM. Unfortunatly they might never get the chance to become one - the proteas will soon be a black rugby team - what do our young, GOOD players have to forward too? No wonder they immergrate
Traps I agree with what you say but unfortunately you are a white man. As a white person too I know only too well how selfish one looks screaming racism now that the roles have been reversed. I have heard similar opinions voiced by black people but we need to hear more of them - then they will be taken seriously.
HI ALL
LET ME TELL YOU ITS ACTUALLY RIDICULOUS TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE POLITICIANS OF RUGBY!!I GOT INVOLVED AS A VICE PRESIDENT OF MPRU,THE YOUNGEST EVER TO BECOME A VICE PRESIDENT(27),WORKING HARD AND SERVING THE GAME OF RUGBY FROM THE PRESPECTIVE OF A PLAYER.IN MY PLAYING DAYS THERE WAS DESCRIMINATED AGAINST ME BECAUSE IM WHITE!!!THEN FULL OF HOPE AND ENERGY I TRIED EVERYTHING TO GET THE GREY SLEEPING DRINKING SILLY RUGBYBOSSESS TO COME TO THEIR SENSE,BUT WITH NO LUCK!!THE PROBLEM OF QUOTAS IS COMING OUT OF BELLY OF OUR OWN RUGBYADMINISTRATORS WHO IS THERE FOR THEIR OWN BENIFIT,FREE DRINKS ETC!!!FOR INSTANCE MPRU FOR PAST FEW YEARS THERE WAS NO MONEY FOR CLUBRUGBY IN THE UNION,ALL THE MONEY WOULD RATHER GO TO THE TOP!!ANY HOUSE YOU START BUILDING FROM THE BOTTOM UPWARDS NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND,BUT THAT IS HAPPENING IN RUGBY
Phil - I suggest we find out how much money these big 3 sports have in the kitty.
Get hold of Cosatu and ask them to find us their best guys dealing with poor and underpriveleged to start distributing the cash immediately in buying balls, bats, etc etc
We get teachers and coaches to train youngsters.
We use money to form leagues in the poorer areas.
We flight TV adds showing kids how great players emerged from the streets and the beaches of the world.
We ban any trips by sports administrators - take way their credit cards and make it an unpaid job.
We confirm that politicians can only open their mouths when they have been to watch at least 20 games in the poorest areas. We need 20 signed letters from the referees of those games.
The list is endless but there are billions to play with.
Get the kids playing and send the politicians and administrators to Helmand Province.
Michael Trapido on February 10th, 2008 at 10:40 am
very well put arguments. the top dogs always blame everything on racism, but they are ok with their own racism (they don’t see discrimination against whites as racist). you put forward an alternative view which makes good sense. pity the powers that be wouldn’t listen to you. they would just accuse you of being one more racist and continue in their foolishness.
There is of course an easy solution to our problems.
Pick all the Admistrators and those who so eagerly
fill their pockets and enter them as our first
choice team in the tri-nations.
I am sure after they have been run over by the All Blacks and wallabies and in time to come by the Pumas,they will all join Manto in a private hospital to have their bruised egos and bodies attended to.
During their absence the rest of us will get along
with the game,profusely apologise to our opponents
put our best team with no interference on the park
and play the game as it should be played.
The same tactic should be applied to cricket.soccer
etc. A good bouncer might just clear way all the
cobwebs and result in clearer thinking!
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Mike Trapido is a specialist criminal attorney, journalist and political commentator.
He has written sports columns for the Derby Evening Telegraph (5 years), SASoccer365 and articles for English and South African sports sites.
Besides all South African teams he is a fanatical Derby County and Blue Bulls supporter.
He was sports editor at Supersport under producer David Blood.
He is currently writing his first book on South African Rugby for the South African Rugby Legends Association.
He is a director of the firm Turnbull and Associates.
He was born in Johannesburg and attended HA Jack and Highlands North High Schools. He married Robyn in 1984 (Mrs Traps, aka "the government") and has three sons (who all look suspiciously like her ex-boss).
He was a counsellor on the JCCI for a year around 1992.
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