South Africa Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie Calls Afghanistan's Champions Trophy Participation "Hypocritical, Immoral"

South African sports minister Gayton McKenzie is the latest entity to raise his voice against the participation of Afghanistan in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy, comparing the Taliban regime's treatment of women in their nation to the old Apartheid regime in the rainbow nation and added that the Afghans playing the tournament is "hypocritical and immoral", reported ESPNCricinfo. McKenzie's comments come as the Proteas are all set to take on Afghanistan in their campaign opener during the Champions Trophy on February 21 in Karachi.

England, another Group B opponent for Afghanistan, faced similar political pressure as a group of 160 British politicians had urged the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott their Lahore fixture against Afghanistan on February 26.

As quoted by ESPNCricinfo, McKenzie said in a statement from the country's Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture, " If it was my decision, then it certainly would not happen. As a man who comes from a race that was not allowed equal access to sporting opportunities during Apartheid, it would be hypocritical and immoral to look the other way today when the same is being done towards women anywhere in the world."

Notably, Peter Hain, an anti-apartheid campaigner and former British government minister, had also previously written to Cricket South Africa (CSA) regarding his concerns about ban on women's cricket in Afghanistan, which has been in effect since Taliban's return to power in 2021.

In a subsequent statement, CSA acknowledged Hain's letter, but their stance was similar to that of ECB, stating that Champions Trophy is an ICC event and "position on Afghanistan must be guided by them in accordance with international tournament