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BATTING FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie joins calls for Afghanistan cricket boycott

The calls are in response to the Taliban government’s crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in August 2021.
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie joins calls for Afghanistan cricket boycott Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie. (Photo: Theo Jeptha / Gallo Images / Die Burger)
Reuters
By Reuters
9 Jan 2025
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Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie said he supported calls for a boycott of Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, adding his voice to those of British politicians who have called on England not to play them next month.

England and South Africa are in Afghanistan’s group in the One Day International competition and are under pressure to boycott the fixtures in response to the Taliban government’s crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in August 2021.

South Africa are scheduled to open their Champions Trophy campaign against Afghanistan in Karachi on 21 February but McKenzie urged SA’s cricket governing body not to honour the fixture.

“Cricket South Africa, the federations of other countries and the ICC [International Cricket Council] will have to think carefully about the message the sport of cricket wishes to send the world, and especially the women in sports,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

“It is not for me as the sports minister to make the final decision on whether South Africa should honour cricketing fixtures against Afghanistan. If it was my decision, then it certainly would not happen.

“As a man who comes from a race that was not allowed equal access to sporting opportunities during apartheid, it would be hypocritical and immoral to look the other way today when the same is being done towards women anywhere in the world,” he added.

Cricket South Africa responded with a statement on Thursday, saying they would take their lead from the ICC, and that a “unified and collective approach from all ICC members” was needed.

"CSA finds the treatment and suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan abhorrent and firmly believes that women’s cricket deserves equal recognition and resources,” according to the statement.

“As the Champions Trophy is an ICC event, the position on Afghanistan must be guided by the world body in accordance with international tournament participation requirements and regulations.”

Cross-party letter

More than 160 British politicians have signed a cross-party letter to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), calling for a boycott of England’s fixture against Afghanistan in Lahore on 26 February.

ECB chief executive Richard Gould responded by also calling for a uniform approach from all member nations towards Afghanistan’s participation in international cricket.

Australia are the other country scheduled to take on Afghanistan, in Lahore on 28 February.

Cricket Australia indefinitely postponed a bilateral men’s Twenty 20 series against Afghanistan last March citing “deteriorating human rights for women and girls in the country under Taliban rule”.

But they did play them at the World Cup in India in late 2023 and at the T20 World Cup last June.

Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird last month said he was “very proud of the position we’ve taken” after they were accused of hypocrisy.

“We’ve taken a position, and we’re proudly standing up where we think we should,” he said. DM

Comments

jackt bloek Jan 10, 2025, 12:28 AM

How a British special forces raid went wrong, and a young family paid the price When British special forces raided a family home in Afghanistan ,they killed two young parents and gravely wounded their infant sons. DOES GAYTON MCKENZIE SUPPORT THE RAPE AND MURDER OF CHILDREN IN AFGHANTAN?

jackt bloek Jan 10, 2025, 12:29 AM

THIS IS WHO GAYTON IS NOT CALLING FOR A BOYCOTT "I pleaded with british troops to let me go to where my son and daughter-in-law and their children were sleeping,I could hear my two daughters screaming and pleading for help. No one was helping them. I could not do anything for my children.

jackt bloek Jan 10, 2025, 12:33 AM

WILL GAYTON CALL FOR JUSTICE OF THIS AFGAN FAMILY? It was only after the british left , that Abdul Aziz was able to go to the room where Hussain and his wife Ruqqia and the boys had been sleeping. "There was blood everywhere", he said, "blood soaked into the sheets and the mattresses. wow

jackt bloek Jan 10, 2025, 12:39 AM

is this the kind of things that CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA supports in Afghanistan by british? Rahmat had been detained during the raid and he had no idea what had happened. he saw his young nephews. Imran was conscious, crying. "He looked like he was in severe pain," Rahmat recalled. "

jackt bloek Jan 10, 2025, 12:47 AM

it is a good time to remember the suffering the English and Australians imposed on Afghanistan , on their women and chidlren

pietskietvantond Jan 10, 2025, 02:36 AM

The minister should not ask CSA to boycott the game against Afghanistan. Bleeding heart Lawson Naidoo will never agree to it. The minister should take the decision and ban all SA team from playing against Afghanistan teams. That way the Proteas can not be penalised by ICC.

megapode Jan 10, 2025, 09:23 AM

And we get the moral high ground. McKenzie can hold his head up high and ask other Governments what they are going to do because South Africa (and he) did the right thing.

megapode Jan 10, 2025, 09:22 AM

He's a Cabinet Minister. He should be getting government to pass a bill prohibiting sporting contact with representative Afghan teams. It's unfair to ask the board or the team to do this because they are the ones who will lose out on prize money & competition points. Let SA set an example here.

z889 Jan 10, 2025, 09:26 AM

The SAS was tragic, not their ethos to kill innocents, woke left attempting to drum all and sundry, The different issue here is that it involves a government policy of brutal 0ppression against their women, stop playing All Brit invented sports then, football netball rugby... such hypocrites

jackt bloek Jan 10, 2025, 11:50 AM

typical as expected , afghan people lives do not seem to matter to Gary . Children younger than 16 years killed by English army and excsues and cover-up we will see if Rihan Richards really is against the killing of Afghan children

megapode Jan 10, 2025, 12:05 PM

The difference here, as it once was with South Africa, is that the law of the land prevents all citizens having a chance to express themselves in sports and represent their country. It's right to refuse to play such countries, but it should be government that draws the line.

jackt bloek Jan 10, 2025, 02:36 PM

are you fine with the English , Australians and Americans attacking weddings with drones, sexually assaults of Afghan children on British basis I wonder if CRICKET SOUTH AFRIA has anything to condemn about attacks on children and women in Afghnaistan by English or is this fine?

Is there hope South Africa? Jan 10, 2025, 08:35 PM

Are you fine with Afghan girls not being able to attend school beyond Grade 4? Are you fine with women not even being able to be nurses or midwives? Are you fine with Afghan women not being able to represent their country in cricket?

z889 Jan 10, 2025, 03:20 PM

Get your head out of your a*ss - try taking off your rose tinted woke outraged glasses we are discussing the issue of the Taliban's brutal oppression policies toward women in Afghanistan open a separate discussion for the war in Afghanistan, don't assume I do not care for kids of course I do.

z889 Jan 10, 2025, 09:29 AM

I meant the SAS raid was tragic...

jackt bloek Jan 10, 2025, 11:46 AM

this is what we found out this week ...children younger than 16 years were being killed by English troops in Afghanistan i wonder if CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA OFFICALS like Rihan Richards and Gayton Mckenzie care about Afghan chidlren being executed by Britian as well or will Rihan turn a blind eye