Black rugby players were no longer entitled to special treatment in terms of racial quotas, the seven white authors of a new book on ”the woes” of the sport have concluded.
”Obsolete ideas such as disadvantaged groups in rugby should be discarded. The disadvantaged groups have now been the advantaged groups for a long time,” says the book, entitled: ”Struggle rugby, A sport in crisis.”
”It is time to discard the controversial and highly emotional quota system as it is not normal and it is now time for normal sport.”
The book, unveiled in Pretoria on Tuesday, was authored by sports writer Johan Volschenk with contributions by former rugby greats Frik du Preez, Jannie Engelbrecht and Piet Uys.
Other contributors were Blue Bulls vice-president Louis Luyt, rugby writer Gert Kotze and Kallie Kriel — director of the research institute of the trade union MWU-Solidarity.
The book identifies quotas and political interference as the main factors responsible for what the authors perceive as rugby’s downfall.
One of the main factors culprits, the authors claimed, was an undertaking by the SA Rugby Football Union (Sarfu) to pay rugby unions to ”get rid of” white coaches, players and officials in line with its Vision 2003.
”In essence it is a chilling document of neo-racism and prejudice in rugby drawn up to systematically work whites out of rugby, especially where money is at stake.”
The book says most have no choice but to look the other way.
”For many rugby players, coaches and officials, rugby is the thin line between bread on the table or unemployment. They are not going to make waves.”
This resulted in players being selected on the basis of their skin colour to play on a level for which they were not ready.
”There are players who have no faith in the men beside them,” the book states.
The problem with quotas, it continues, is that they keep deserving players out of teams and deprive them of the opportunity to develop. This was the case with many white wings today.
”It promotes players who, in many instances, are not as good as the players they are keeping out of the teams.
”Thus the possibility grows and grows that the wrong players are being developed to play test rugby.”
The authors say political interference stretched so far as the appointment of coaches, with young coaches being perceived as ”easier to transform” and to manipulate.
In his contribution, Luyt says he could not understand why rugby bosses were so afraid to resist, since the government made no financial contribution towards rugby.
”It is time for rugby people to get up from their knees. If we want to save rugby we shall have to do something now. In two years time it may be too late. Then there may be nothing left to save.”
One was not a racist if one did not agree with the
transformation process and quota system, he writes.
”But it makes one feel racist because we are being treated with racism.”
Another problem ”identified” by the authors was a lack of rugby experts in the sport’s highest decision-making positions.
Rugby should be left to rugby people, says Du Preez.
”Politics are for politicians. They must put an end to farm murders and bring the crime levels down. But leave sport to us, and we will bring the World Cup to South Africa where it belongs.”
Sarfu executive member Fanie Vermaak told those attending the launch the quota system had yielded many good players, and was still needed.
”Sarfu has always said that the sooner we can get rid of the quota system, the better. But first, people have to commit themselves to transformation and development without being forced to do so. Then things will normalise on their own.”
He added that integration in schools would eventually result in the need for quota systems disappearing.
Luyt disagreed. ”How long does this have to go on?” he asked the gathering.
”We are already on our way. We can see whether there is merit or not.”
The book was initiated by MWU-Solidarity, which claims to represent about 50 rugby officials, mostly at provincial level.
The trade union has challenged the government’s policy of affirmative action, denouncing this as ”neo-racism”, and has tackled electricity provider Eskom over a language directive instructing employees to only use English.
The union has also lodged complaints with the language board about employers who fail to recognise Afrikaans at the workplace.
Kriel has stated the MWU had a responsibility to direct action against neo-racism and affirmative action because the majority of its members were white.
The MWU was founded in 1913 to represent Afrikaners employed in the mining industry, but has since expanded by mergers with other unions and renamed MWU-Solidarity.
It has moved away from being an exclusively white union, but remains predominantly Afrikaans. It has since stated it would include black members.
Kriel on Tuesday said the book was aimed at sparking debate.
Copies would be forwarded to Sarfu, SA Rugby and Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour. – Sapa