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The civil rights organisation AfriForum appealed to Haroon Lorgat, CEO of Cricket South Africa (CSA), to undergo a lie detector test in which he must confirm or deny that race prescriptions were laid down for the composition of the Protea team during the recent Cricket World Cup. AfriForum offered to pay the costs relating to such a test in full. This follows after Lorgat denied that he laid down race prescriptions for the composition of the Proteas for this team’s World Cup semi-final against New Zealand’s Black Caps.     

According to Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, Lorgat’s denial is not credible, seeing as it can clearly be concluded from the team selections that the current performance of players was not the only criteria being followed to compose the team. “Lorgat has the opportunity to restore his name in honour with the lie detector test and should he tell the truth, he has no reason to refuse undergoing a lie detector test,” said Kriel.    

Kriel argues that it is important that cricket supporters worldwide get clarity concerning whether the World Cup really was a display window of the world’s best players and if politics and race played a role in team selections. “South African cricket enthusiasts, in particular, have the right to know whether the team that is being supported, was chosen on merit,” added Kriel.   

If Lorgat refuses to undergo a lie detector test, AfriForum will, according to Kriel, go full steam ahead to submit a formal complaint against Cricket South Africa (CSA) to the International Cricket Council (ICC) as a result of the race prescriptions that are laid down for the composition of the national team.   

Kriel made an appeal to members of the public to, in the meantime, add their name to the proposed complaint to the ICC by sending an SMS containing their name to 45343. R1/SMS

Issued by AfriForum