Graeme Smith’s leadership, dignity, integrity and courage never wavered during all the months he was publicly flogged, in formal and social media, as a racist. The arbitrators’ findings exonerated him on every count, with costs, freeing him of the racist label. Smith will be relieved. However, the lengthy, exhausting process would have taken its toll.
Let us be clear: cricket being free of racial discrimination must be top of mind for us all.
The social justice and nation-building commission (SJN) failed dismally in achieving its mandate to contribute to truth, healing and reconciliation in the game of cricket. In fact, it achieved the opposite. However, the SJN’s tentative, inconclusive findings left racial accusations dangling, resulting in a media feeding frenzy.
It needs to be stated that it became imperative for the new Cricket SA board to finally settle this matter.
The Cricket SA arbitration charge sheet and the SJN’s untested yet damning findings ensured that Smith would not reapply for his job, understandably. His position was untenable.
Cricket SA have lost a fine administrator at a time when his leadership is desperately required. Smith is a giant in the global cricket world. He is part of India’s cricket royalty and is the first South African to be inducted as a Bradman Honouree. He is deeply respected, and his word, actions and presence hold weight. He brought a calm reassurance as director of cricket.
His cricket and business acumen must not be lost. Players usually find sports administration frustrating, with its slow delivery of action plans and politics. Hopefully a consultancy will be a preferred option for him, free from everyday political jostling.
That jostling was evident when a small group of ex-players and administrators wanted Smith out of his job. In 2020, newly appointed independent director Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw organised an injudicious workshop exclusively for black cricketers to air their views. Smith, as director of cricket, was not allowed to attend the workshop.
A hard-core group, unhappy with Smith’s appointment, accused him of racial discrimination. They gave evidence at the SJN commission and the Cricket SA/Smith arbitration. Some had nothing to lose as they had been banished from cricket for match fixing. Others had their eyes on Smith’s and other available Cricket SA positions.
Their SJN submissions invariably were toxic. For example, one disgruntled former administrator and ex-player claimed during his submission that “this man ([Smith] should be hunted out of the building with immediate effect in handcuffs”, and that Smith was party to “corruption” and was “incompetent”.
These emotive, unsubstantiated attacks were outrageous. These antagonists should never be considered for any Cricket SA position.
Yet through all this chaos, Smith, with the Proteas coaches and captains, found a way to soldier on with great purpose and character. Nothing the media and ex-players threw at them deterred them. The Proteas women and men’s teams reached new heights. This was an astonishing achievement.
We need to remember that when Smith became director of cricket, SA cricket was in deep crisis.
On December 7 2019, Cricket SA had a newly appointed acting CEO. There was no Cricket SA director of cricket, no commercial manager, no Proteas men’s coach, no team management group and no selectors. And the English were about to arrive in 10 days.
In spite of being on honeymoon, Smith stepped into the breach. Within a few days he, with other administrators, had selected the Proteas coach, his assistant, the entire Proteas team management and the national selectors.
As Pholetsi Moseki, now Cricket SA CEO, stated in his SJN submissions: “CSA expected Mr Smith to act swiftly.” Smith was appointed on December 11 and was expected to choose the coaches within days. There was no time to advertise these positions. To criticise Smith for this selection process is disingenuous. Each appointment was officially approved by the Cricket SA board and president. It was a Herculean task.
Sadly, the board did not thank Smith when his contract ended on March 31. Only on March 28 did Cricket SA, after prompting, release a sterile account of the processes that were being undertaken following Smith’s departure. There was no mention of appreciation for his wide-ranging achievements. Only after the arbitrator’s award did Cricket SA thank him.
There are key learnings here.
SA cricket needs to confront any race, gender, religious or other issues as they arise. Waiting for a sore to fester and burst makes the healing process slow and painful.
Good people, good governance and clearly defined roles throughout the system are vital to restore confidence in SA cricket.
The mandate of truth, healing and reconciliation remains a work in progress.
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