Cricket South Africa meets former players, senior coaches to discuss racism issues

In a statement on July 14, issued in support of South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi, who spoke up in support of BLM movement, 31 former cricketers and five senior coaches talked about their personal experiences and racial discrimination they faced in cricket.

“Firstly, CSA unambiguously sympathises with and supports the players in expressing their views and seeking redress. Secondly, the meeting afforded the CSA Board an opportunity to appraise the players of CSA’s strategy to resolve the matters raised by the players,” said a statement released by CSA on Wednesday (July 29).

The CSA Board shared its decision to establish the Office of the Independent Transformation Ombudsman as part of its Social Justice and Nation Building (SJN) concept. This office will work as the authority for managing complaints system, convening national SJN meetings and measure the success of CSA’s transformation programs.

“The critical success factor of the SJN project is for the players and stakeholders to hold the CSA Board accountable for delivery,” said Dr Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw, Chairperson of the Transformation Committee, during the meeting.

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“The national outcry regarding the treatment of black players and the support of the #BLM movement has presented an opportunity for the cricket community to urgently respond to transformation with an informed and integrated Transformation Strategy. CSA, therefore, aims to use the current developments to have frank and robust engagements with all stakeholders in the cricket sector,” read the statement.

Those in attendance shared their accounts of the racism and discrimination they faced during and after their playing days. A joint resolution led to the consensus that CSA and players will drive the necessary and urgent process to correct the wrongs committed and this will lead to effective ways to promote diversity and inclusion in cricket.

“We would like to thank CSA for hearing our cry, reaching out and have an initial engagement. We don’t feel any new projects should be unilaterally embarked upon until honest and thorough robust conversations have taken place,” said the group of players and coaches in attendance.

The group requested CSA’s operational staff including the Director of Cricket, the Cricket Manager and senior coaches to be included in all future discussions and form a part of future engagements so that clarity and broad agreement would be ensured on future strategies, driven by value and culture.

‘’This process going forward will draft in representatives from the former players, such that it is an inclusive and result-orientated process. When we embarked on this journey, we knew it was an emotive process and that it would elicit a difficult conversation,’’ Nenzani concluded.