South Africa’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, has voiced support for calls to boycott Afghanistan during the upcoming Champions Trophy, set to take place in Pakistan next month. His statement aligns with similar appeals from British politicians urging England to avoid playing against Afghanistan, citing the Taliban government’s suppression of women’s rights since regaining power in 2021.
Both England and South Africa are drawn in Afghanistan’s group for the One Day International tournament. South Africa is scheduled to face Afghanistan in their opening match on February 21 in Karachi. However, McKenzie has urged Cricket South Africa (CSA) to reconsider participating in the fixture, emphasizing the need to take a stand for women’s rights.
“Cricket South Africa, other federations, and the ICC must carefully consider the message the sport wishes to send, particularly to women in sports,” McKenzie said. “While the final decision isn’t mine as sports minister, if it were, South Africa would not participate.”
Drawing from his own experience growing up under apartheid, McKenzie highlighted the moral imperative to act. “As someone from a race denied equal access to sports during apartheid, it would be hypocritical and immoral to ignore similar oppression against women elsewhere,” he added.
Cricket South Africa responded with a statement reaffirming their stance against gender discrimination while deferring to the ICC’s leadership on Afghanistan’s participation. “CSA finds the treatment and suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan abhorrent and believes women’s cricket deserves equal recognition and resources. However, as the Champions Trophy is an ICC event, the matter must be addressed collectively by the global cricketing community,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, over 160 British politicians have signed a letter urging the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott their game against Afghanistan, set for February 26 in Lahore. ECB chief executive Richard Gould also stressed the need for a unified international stance.
Australia, another team facing Afghanistan in the tournament, has similarly grappled with this issue. While Cricket Australia postponed a bilateral T20 series against Afghanistan in March 2024 due to human rights concerns, they played Afghanistan in both the 2023 World Cup and T20 World Cup. Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird defended their approach, stating, “We’ve taken a position and proudly stand by it.”
The Champions Trophy has become a platform for international cricket boards and governments to navigate the intersection of sports and human rights, with Afghanistan’s participation under scrutiny from multiple nations.
