South African U-19 captain demoted over pro-Israel comments
South Africa has stripped David Teeger of his duties as captain for the upcoming Cricket World Cup following his comments in support of Israel.
On Friday, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced that it has made the decision of demoting Teeger as Captain of the South African team for safety and security measures after his speech at Jewish Achiever Awards.
Teeger was set to lead South Africa at the Under-19 Cricket World Cup tournament, which begins on January 19.
“In all the circumstances, CSA has decided that David should be relieved of the captaincy for the tournament. This is in the best interests of all the players, the SA U19 team and David himself,” the CSA said in a statement.
Teeger had reportedly dedicated an award he received in October to the Israeli military.
Several groups had lodged complaints over Teeger’s comments after which he was subject to an inquiry.
“CSA has a primary duty to safeguard the interests and safety of all those involved in the World Cup and must accordingly respect the expert advice of those responsible for the safety of participants and spectators."
The South African cricket body said there was an apprehension that Teeger’s captaincy could lead to tensions during the tournament.
“We have also been advised that they are likely to focus on the position of the SA Under-19 captain, David Teeger, and that there is a risk that they could result in conflict or even violence, including between rival groups of protestors,” the CSA statement said.
On January 4, pro-Palestine demonstrators protested outside the main gate at Newlands in Cape Town before the New Year’s test match between South Africa and India, questioning Teeger’s selection.
Teeger’s removal comes as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) heard South Africa’s case against Israel for committing genocide in Gaza.
South Africa replaced Sri Lanka as the hosts of the Under-19 men’s World Cup. Sri Lanka was replaced due to government interference in the running of the sport.
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