| Abstrakt: |
The essay examines the sources of the disquiet frequently expressed in the South African media at the predominantly white nature of the national cricket side. In particular, the authors focus on the argument which claims, first, that national sports teams must be representative, second, that the predominantly white nature of the national cricket side is unrepresentative and therefore unacceptable, and, finally, that the solution to the problem would be the enforcement of a racial quota whereby a certain number of players of colour must take the field each time the team plays. It is argued that although international sport does indeed derive its significance from the representivity of the national sides which take part, the sense of representivity appropriate to this context entails nothing in the way of ethnic profiles, but rather takes national sides which make up the strongest possible combination of all eligible players - players who are eligible on the basis of nationality and not ethnicity - to be properly representative. It is nevertheless concluded that the South African national side is unrepresentative, and therefore unacceptable, on the grounds that its ethnic profile, taken together with certain facts about the racial distribution of opportunities in contemporary South Africa, is a plausible indication that young black players are not presented with the same opportunities to develop their talents to the highest level that their white counterparts are. As a result there seems good ground to think that the larger process from which the South African national cricket side emerges is sufficiently perverted by racism for the side to be considered unrepresentative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
