The website The Sport Freak says in a opinion piece that he South African Rugby Union’s (SARU) new set of rules has set a strategic transformation plan into action. The transformation plan says that by 2019 all local and national teams should consist of a minimum of 50% black player.
This, the website says, is a violation of By-Law 3 of the IRB, which states: “The IRB is compelled to prevent any form of racial discrimination in rugby.” Furthermore it is also a clear violation of Regulation 20 which stipulates – “any action which may be construed as racial discrimination will be regarded as misconduct.”
“The question should be asked – is the transformation plan, which has been approved, not a clear violation of these rules? In essence the transformation plan which compels a 50% selection of black players, is a clear discrimination against white players (or black players, for that matter – Ed.), since it will without a doubt take opportunities away from white (or black) players! …
“When apartheid was in place the IRB implemented sanctions against the South African Rugby Union due to its policy of NOT considering black players for selection. Surely the new policy which has been implemented by the South African Rugby Union is very much the same as the policy which got SARU sanctioned during apartheid. Many South African rugby supporters, both black and white, calls the new policy reverse racism, which it arguably is! If the South African Rugby Union got sanctioned for its selection policy of non black players, surely they should now get sanctioned for their new policy which essentially excludes 50% of white players for selection?” the website writes.
Simply put, the IRB is not enforcing their own rules. What will happen if England Rugby Union starts enforcing the same policy? Surely there will be a huge public outcry and action will be taken against the Union by the IRB? “Thus why is no action taken against the South African Rugby Union for enforcing their racial selection policy?”
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE AGAINST SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION’S SELECTION POLICY?
The site says if nothing gets done against SARU and their racial selection policy two things will happen. “Firstly it will result in a loss to world rugby, since South African Rugby, a traditional power house of world rugby, will lose its competitiveness, due to not selecting players on merit but rather making selections to fulfil quota requirements.
“Secondly European Rugby will be a huge beneficiary of the South African Rugby Union’s racial selection system. There will be an influx of young white talented South African rugby players to the European nations.These talented players who could have gone on to become big names for the Springboks will now wear a different coloured jersey. The move to Europe due to racial selection policies has already started as long ago as 1996.
Conclusion
The website argues that in the light of the above argument serious consideration should be given by the IRB to sanction the SARU because of its racially based selection policy.
You can read the full article and get latest on petition campaign visit The Sports Freak
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