South Africa cricket faces risk of ICC ban after government intervention

South Africa cricket has found itself in a rabbit hole and is at risk of facing a ban from the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to the government’s intervention in the sport. As per the regulations, ICC doesn’t allow government interference and the punishment is an international ban until the cricket body becomes an independent unit.

On Sunday, April 18, South Africa’s Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa said that he had ‘no option’ than to get involved in Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) operations. The Minister didn’t mince any words in saying that CSA’s members’ council didn’t act in an apt manner and failed to agree to a new governance structure.

Troubles for Cricket South Africa

The 14-member council was expected to endorse a new memorandum of incorporation at a meeting on Saturday, April 17. The same would have provided for an independent chairman and a majority of independent directors. However, only six of the provincial presidents voted in its favour. Even as five were against it, three abstained. A majority of 75 percent was required.

Earlier, Mthethwa stated that the council and the interim board had signed an agreement. The failure to ratify the agreement “can only be interpreted as acting in bad faith.” The agreement had reached a week after the negotiations between the interim board, appointed last October, and the council.

As per the statement, “the minister will be taking the necessary steps required to exercise his rights in terms of the law prescripts next week.”

Going by South Africa’s Sports and Recreation Act, the minister is entitled to intervene in “any dispute, alleged mismanagement or other related matter that is likely to bring a sport into disrepute.”

According to the act, the sports minister has the power to take away CSA’s recognition to administer the sports in the country, news.com.au reported.

South Africa, recently, played in the ODI and T20I series at home against Pakistan. Even as they lost the ODIs 1-2, the visitors thrashed them 3-1 in the shortest format. Earlier in 2021, the Proteas went down to the same opposition in the Tests and T20Is on the tour of Pakistan.