Minister of Sport and Recreation, Thembelani Nxesi, has lifted CSA’s ban from hosting major international sporting events.
The former Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula took the decision to prevent SA from hosting cricket tournaments after transformation targets were not met during the 2015-16 season.
CSA are confident that they’ve met their targets in the 2016-17 season, and were hopeful that the ban would be lifted after doing so. South Africa were in line to host the 2018 World T20 before the ban was put in place, which could now revitalise their bid.
‘We are optimistic of achieving good outcomes but we would not want to pre-empt anything at this stage. Regardless, we are committed to transformation and we will continue to engage with the ministry and other stakeholders to ensure we achieve our transformation goals,’ CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat told ESPNcricinfo before the decision was made.
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The Department of Sports and Recreation took to twitter on Tuesday to announce the reinstatement of Rugby, Cricket and Netball Unions from being allowed to bid for hosting international tournaments.
Rugby, Cricket, netball right to bid for and host international tournaments in the Republic is immediately reinstated, stated Min TW Nxesi
— Dep. Sport & Rec (@SPORTandREC_RSA) May 9, 2017
Nxesi emphasised the importance that could come with hosting major tournaments.
‘The role of sport is big because the majority of our youth are unemployed and if we have solid sporting programmes at clubs, village and community levels, and the youth can engage in sports over weekends, we can keep them away from crime. But that is a tall order.’
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
