Home » Sports minister slams Afghanistan’s stint in ICC Champions Trophy

Sports minister slams Afghanistan’s stint in ICC Champions Trophy

South Africa’s sports minister slams Afghanistan’s stint in next month’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025, calling it “hypocritical and immoral.”

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SPORTS MINISTER SLAMS AFGHANISTAN STINT IN PAKISTAN

South Africa’s sports minister slams Afghanistan’s stint in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan.

Furthermore, Gayton McKenzie has called on South Africa’s Proteas squad to boycott their fixture against Afghanistan.

Moreover, organizers have scheduled the two teams to face each other in the opener at Karachi on February 21.

McKenzie cited Afghanistan’s decision to ban women’s sports in their country and disbanding the women’s cricket team as basis for the boycott.

The minister also compared the Taliban regime’s treatment of women in the country to Apartheid.

People who are excited by this don’t know how —
(i) sports administration works;
(ii) government interference will get us banned by ICC;
(Iii) this will achieve nothing;and
(iv) he’s not doing it for genuine reasons but populism.

It’s CSA, not the Dept. of Sport that speaks. https://t.co/d0NoMVylYc

— Siyabonga (@SiyabongaNyezi) January 9, 2025

MCKENZIE’S STAND ALIGNS WITH ECB, ADDS TO GROWING CALLS TO BOYCOTT FIXTURE

Moreover, McKenzie’s stand aligns to calls by British ministers to withdraw their support to the upcoming match.

Furthermore, some 160 British politicians urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott the Afghanistan-South Africa fixture.

“It is not for me as the Sports Minister to make the final decision on whether South Africa should honor cricketing fixtures against Afghanistan,” McKenzie said.

“If it was my decision, then it would certainly not happen,” he added.

His statements came as he cited the International Cricket Council (ICC) as an organization that does not “tolerate political interference in the administration of sport.”

South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie joins calls for Afghanistan cricket boycott at ICC Champions Trophy https://t.co/NpePpKBeIj pic.twitter.com/1vX7qzTaXx

— AJE Sport (@AJE_Sport) January 9, 2025

ICC DEFENDS AFGHAN CRICKET BOARD, SAYS ACB NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS GOVT’S POLICIES

Furthermore, the ICC defended the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), saying that it is not responsible for its national government’s policies.

Moreover, an ICC spokesman will not be compelled to punish the ACB or Afghan cricketers amid mounting calls to boycott the fixture.

“The ICC will not penalize ACB, or its players, for abiding by the laws set by the government of their country,” the ICC spokesman said.

“We will continue to constructively use our influence to assist the ACB in developing cricket and playing opportunities to both men and women in Afghanistan,” he added.

Meanwhile, the ECB and Cricket Australia are determined not to engage with Afghanistan in bilateral contests.

Gayton McKenzie urges Proteas to boycott ICC Champions Trophy clash with Afghanistan over Taliban's ban on women's sporthttps://t.co/TI1h6XXKZY

— MSN South Africa (@MSNSouthAfrica) January 9, 2025