Several promising young cricketers have withdrawn from the U19 Khaya Majola Week after Cricket South Africa decided all participants must be vaccinated against Covid-19.
The U19 Khaya Majola Week, from which the SA Schools team is selected, will be hosted in Potchefstroom from 17-21 December and the U19 girls tournament in Paarl from 16-20 December.
A high-ranking official in the SA Schools structure told Rapport newspaper that CSA had no choice.
“This is a case of either we require players to be vaccinated or there are no tournaments.”
The tournaments were cancelled last year due to the pandemic.
CSA’s manager of youth cricket Niels Momberg told Rapport that players will stay in bio-bubbles and be tested twice for Covid-19. Each player may bring two parents to the tournament, but they must also be vaccinated.
The father of an 18-year-old who withdrew from the U19 Khaya Majola Week said he himself does not want to be vaccinated because he doesn’t believe it has been properly tested. However, he allowed his son to make his own choice.
“Me, my wife and my father-in-law all had Covid,” he said. “I feel it’s my decision. It is a religious decision for me and I feel I am protected in a natural way. ”
