Beast deportation threat remains

[Bullitt]

The threat to have South African loosehead prop Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira deported still looms large according to reports on Tuesday.

It is still the insidious voice of National Assembly sports committee chairman Butana Komphela calling for the move, insisting that only "bona fide" people should represent South Africa in its national teams - not foreign players.

Komphela wants SA Rugby charged for illegally fielding Mtawarira and to have him deported back to his original home country of Zimbabwe.

"The government is going to punish rugby," he said to The Mercury.

"We are going to charge SA Rugby for fielding a foreign national without proper requirements.

"The portfolio committee has inquired as to why the Beast is still playing [for the Springboks] if he is a foreign national. If this is the case, then it is a contravention of the laws."

However, SA Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins denied there had been any violation of the laws, insisting that Mtawarira has a skilled work permit and that Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile had cleared his inclusion.

"I remain positive about the situation. I do not believe that it [Mtawarira's inclusion in the Bok squad] is a lost cause," he commented.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,1...5854371,00.html

 

[Gavin]

Why are they trying to deport the Beast now? Is there a political reason running deep in this?

 

[Boggle]

A note about south african politics and just our sport in general.

If there isn't something stupid to do they'll find something stupid to do for the sake of doing something stupid.
They don't need a reason other than trying to cause problems, it's just how they roll.

 

[Fa'atau82]

Every team in world rugby has players born in other countries. If it was illegal for Beast to play, then surely any one of any number of teams would have mentioned it to IRB by now, because it's illegal.

Sounds like some politically correct BS, sad to see because it seems like sport in RSA is subject to this kind of thing, first the protea and now this.

 

[Bullitt]

Ironic that the government in SA hare cracking down on the Boks because there's not enough black players, then they try to turf out one of their better black players who's only just emerged recently.

They make the UK government look competent at times...

 

[Steve-o]

This government is as racist and xenophobic as the last government.