Cricket South Africa (CSA) has found itself in hot waters once again. Reportedly, South Africa’s talisman batter-wicketkeeper Quinton De Kock was left out of the playing XI during the side’s Super-12 clash against West Indies on Tuesday (October 26), here in the T20 World Cup, after he refused to take the knee. However, during the toss, skipper Temba Bavuma tried to brush aside the controversy by stating that de Kock had pulled out, citing ‘personal reasons’.
Before the start of the match, CSA issued a mandatory directive to the players, asking them to “take a knee” together in all their matches in theT20 World Cup 2021.
🇿🇦 Cricket South Africa believes success both on the field and beyond the boundary will be guaranteed if all South Africans stand united to build a new innings based on the pillars of inclusivity, access and excellence.
➡️ Full statement: https://t.co/j9MDE1Ct1Z pic.twitter.com/WjRlZ8SmUG
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 26, 2021
Will take action after receiving the report: CSA
However, after de Kock was forced on the bench, CSA released a statement and stated that it had noted de Kock’s decision and that suitable action will be taken after receiving a report from the team management.
“Cricket South Africa (CSA) has noted the personal decision by South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock not to “take the knee” ahead of Tuesday’s game against the West Indies… After considering all relevant issues, including the freedom of choice of players, the Board had made it clear it was imperative for the team to be seen taking a stand against racism, especially given SA’s history. The Board’s view was that while diversity can and should find expression in many facets of daily lives, this did not apply when it came to taking a stand against racism.”
🇿🇦 Cricket South Africa (CSA) has noted the personal decision by South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock not to “take the knee” ahead of Tuesday’s game against the West Indies.
➡️ Full statement: https://t.co/cmEiA9JZy7 pic.twitter.com/4vOqkXz0DX
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 26, 2021
When a woke movement becomes bigger than common sense
CSA throwing out a player, a player of the caliber of de Kock because he, as an individual did not believe in the woke, symbolic gesture is all one needs to know that is wrong with the movement.
Wasn’t the Black Lives Movement and the symbolic gesture of kneeling down meant for equality for the blacks and simultaneously stood as a euphemism for liberty and freedom? Shoving down morals down the throat of an individual was never the aim of the movement.
However, this is not the first time de Kock has not taken the knee. The southpaw in the past has expressed his reluctance to make the gesture as well by saying, “It’s everyone’s decision; no-one’s forced to do anything, not in life. That’s the way I see things.”
Might be the last we’ve seen of de Kock: Harsha Bhogle
De Kock quickly found support amongst the cricketing community with former England Captain Michael Vaughan asserting that individual choices should triumph.
“Surely it’s down to the individual to decide whether he or she wants to be involved in any movement … A Cricket board should request players to do it but if that individual decides they don’t want too it should not stop them playing the game of Cricket … #T20WorldCup #DeKock.”
Surely it’s down to the individual to decide whether he or she wants to be involved in any movement … A Cricket board should request players to do it but if that individual decides they don’t want too it should not stop them playing the game of Cricket … #T20WorldCup #DeKock
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) October 26, 2021
Meanwhile, the usual diplomatic Harsha Bhogle stated that it might be the last we’ve seen of de Kock, “I fear we haven’t heard the last of the de Kock issue. I won’t be surprised if we don’t see him in a Protea shirt again.”
I fear we haven't heard the last of the de Kock issue. I won't be surprised if we don't see him in a Protea shirt again.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 26, 2021
Other South African players have toed the same line
Quinton de Kock is not the only Protea player that has seen the problem associated with the movement. Rudi Steyn, former SA cricketer, last year brought attention to the slaughtering of white farmers by Blacks in South Africa.
He had stated, “I believe the Proteas should make a stand against racism, but if they stand up for “black lives matter” while ignoring the way white farmers are daily being “slaughtered” like animals, they have lost my vote.”
Replying to Steyn’s post, Boeta Dippenaar, another South African international said, “I am afraid to say “Black Lives Matter” have become nothing more than leftist political movement…I would suggest that Lungi Ngidi listens a bit more to likes of Thomas Sowell, Larry Elder, Walter Williams, and Milton Friedman.”
Even legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis had refused to sing the national anthem. The official reason was given that ‘in remembrance of his parents and in gratitude for what they did to allow him to be good enough to represent his country’, Kallis hums the anthem in his heart. However, sources close to the matter remarked that Kallis didn’t sing the anthem owing to the rainbow nation’s excessive ‘positive discrimination’,
Farm killings in South Africa are not spoken about. However, a piece of land in Plaasmoorde houses over 2000 white crosses, each cross signifying a white farmer killed in racial attacks in the country since 1994.
In 2017 alone, independent figures suggest 84 white farmers were killed. White farmers in South Africa have almost accepted that they will be killed most certainly and that it is only a matter of time before a racial mob enters their houses, plunders their possessions, and ultimately slaughters them in the most brutal fashion, as though seeking vengeance for the Apartheid.
How did taking the knee start?
Taking the knee is a symbolic gesture that emerged in the United States of America when Colin Kaepernick in 2016, sat down during the national anthem at an NFL preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers to protest against racism prevalent in the states.
His gesture divided the sporting world into two as several influential brands pulled the plug on Kaepernick’s endorsement deal as the gesture fizzled out with time.
However, after the death of George Floyd, the racism conversation was re-ignited and led to a movement where sporting teams, especially in the West started taking the knee to show solidarity and reaffirm the belief that there is no space for racism in the game or any sphere of life.
Read More: Mourn him but don’t idolize him: George Floyd was a drug peddler and an armed robber
Since then, there has been a lot of debate regarding the true impact of the gesture, or if it is another movement that has succumbed to the virtue-signaling woke liberals who use it as an instrument to bully and threaten others, who want to support equality, but in their own, little ways.
In the NBA, Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac made headlines last summer as the first NBA player not to take a knee or wear a Black Lives Matter T-shirt before a game, explaining that he didn’t believe it was the ‘answer’. If Issac was not dropped from the team, in a country where the movement originated, what gives the right to CSA to act in a dictatorial fashion and oust one of the modern greats. Surely, ICC needs to look into the matter and reprimand CSA for trying to interfere in a person’s personal beliefs.
