Teeger was cleared of wrongdoing, but Cricket SA still found a way to exclude him
16 January 2024 - 17:57
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David Teeger. Picture: CHARLE LOMBARD/GALLO IMAGES
Growing up next to a golf course in the 1950s and early ’60s, it came as no surprise that I was addicted to the game from an early age. My late father, a single-handicap golfer, switched to bowls as the golf club did not accept Jews as members.
As juniors, my late brother and I were tolerated but never fully welcomed into the fold. It may sound absurd now, but Jews established their own golf courses, like Reading in Alberton, to overcome this blatant discrimination by many leading golf clubs. This behaviour was not overt, but existed nevertheless.
Today in SA, once again, anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. David Teeger has been relieved of the SA U19 captaincy due to security concerns ahead of the U19 World Cup cricket tournament starting this week.
This young Jewish man expressed his support for Israel during a speech made at a private function. His constitutional right to freedom of expression was challenged by Cricket SA (CSA) last year and resulted in an official hearing, chaired by advocate Wim Trengove. Teeger was deemed not to have breached CSA’s code of conduct and was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Clearly, there are many ways to skin a cat. Sorry David, but you had no chance. Shame on CSA.
Ronald Woolf Via email
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Sorry David, but you had no chance
Teeger was cleared of wrongdoing, but Cricket SA still found a way to exclude him
Growing up next to a golf course in the 1950s and early ’60s, it came as no surprise that I was addicted to the game from an early age. My late father, a single-handicap golfer, switched to bowls as the golf club did not accept Jews as members.
As juniors, my late brother and I were tolerated but never fully welcomed into the fold. It may sound absurd now, but Jews established their own golf courses, like Reading in Alberton, to overcome this blatant discrimination by many leading golf clubs. This behaviour was not overt, but existed nevertheless.
Today in SA, once again, anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. David Teeger has been relieved of the SA U19 captaincy due to security concerns ahead of the U19 World Cup cricket tournament starting this week.
This young Jewish man expressed his support for Israel during a speech made at a private function. His constitutional right to freedom of expression was challenged by Cricket SA (CSA) last year and resulted in an official hearing, chaired by advocate Wim Trengove. Teeger was deemed not to have breached CSA’s code of conduct and was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Clearly, there are many ways to skin a cat. Sorry David, but you had no chance. Shame on CSA.
Ronald Woolf
Via email
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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