JOHANNESBURG – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has described the decision by Cricket South Africa (CSA) to remove David Teeger as the captain of the Under-19 team as a violation of the Bill of Rights.
Just a week before the World Cup, Teeger has been stripped of his duties as captain, with the team citing fears that he could be targeted by protesters over his pro-Israel views.
Last month, Teeger was cleared of wrongdoing after he praised Israeli soldiers fighting in Gaza at an award ceremony for Jewish achievers.
READ: SA strips U19 cricket skipper of captaincy over Gaza protest fears
The DA said the decision to remove him as captain is misguided.
It said the duty of the team is to uphold the constitution, which prohibits direct or indirect discrimination on the grounds of religion.
“Allowing this precedent to stand would set us on a dangerous path,” said the DA’s Veronica van Dyk.
“The DA calls on CSA to immediately reverse this decision. Failing to do so will compel us to lodge a formal complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). We will also consider further action in due course.”
READ: CSA accepts inquiry findings on SA U19 captain David Teeger’s Israel comments
At the same time, the South African Zionist has condemned Cricket South Africa’s decision as blatant discrimination against a Jewish player.
It has accused the CSA of using security risks as an excuse to mask the real motive behind the decision.
The federation has called on the CSA to apologise to Teeger and to reinstate him as captain.