Quinton de Kock refuses to kneel t20 world cup, despite the potential cost to his career, on Wednesday highlighted divided opinion in South Africa and persistent concerns about racism in the sport.
“Gone are the days when cricket was the standard bearer of progress, unity and inclusiveness in the country; News24 columnist Peter du Toit, in reference to the country’s Rugby World Cup winners, wrote that the flag is now being flown by Sia Kolisi’s Springboks.
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“Add to this the strict administration of the game, with allegations of mismanagement and corruption, and the usual peaks and troughs of a sports team, and cricket is at a low point.”
Former Test captain de Kock was on Tuesday ruled out of the World Cup Super 12 match against West Indies as Cricket South Africa ordered all its players to take a knee ahead of every game in the tournament in the UAE.
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“De Kock divides opinion” reads a banner on the news channel ENCA, where commentators debate the right to self-expression against the responsibility of supporting his team and his nation.
A hashtag #IStandwithQuinton began to appear, especially among right-wingers, defending their right to dissent.
However, many agreed that it would probably have a huge impact for de Kock, one of the team’s star players to score more than 10,000 runs in international cricket.
“This is probably the end of his participation in the World Cup and perhaps even his international career as a cricketer,” wrote analyst Max du Preez in a column on an African news site.
Twitter users noted that de Kock has made hand gestures in support of rhino conservation at matches.
“The only sign or symbol you will see from Quinton de Kock is for the rhinoceros. For everything else, he stands his ground,” tweeted the Blacks in Whites account.
Radio commentator Bongani Bingwa also noted de Kock’s desire to adopt other symbols. But like many others, he questioned the knowledge of the CSA requiring such gestures.
“If Quinton de Kock wears pink or black arm bands to honor greats dead to cancer or protest GBV (gender-based violence) when needed, that would be a universally accepted gesture to fight racism. But why the objection?” he said.
“But equally is it still a theoretical stance if it is mandatory?”
CSA required players to take a knee after photos surfaced of some players kneeling and some standing in the team’s first match against Australia over the weekend.
De Kock stood with his hands behind his back. He also refused to take a knee in South Africa’s Test series in the West Indies earlier this year.
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