PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 18: Francois Pienaar, Graeme Smith (CSA acting director of cricket) and Makhaya Ntini during the 3TC Solidarity Cup match between Mr D Food Kites, OUTsurance Kingfishers and Takealot Eagles at SuperSport Park in July 18, 2020 in Pretoria, South Africa. 3TC is 3 Team Cricket, the latest evolution in short-form cricket, in which 3 teams go head-to-head-to-head in a single, explosive match. The proceeds of The Solidarity Cup will go towards helping those in the cricket community who have suffered due to Covid-19. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)
Graeme Smith opens up on ‘death threats’ received after BLM stance
According to Graeme Smith, things got rather heated after kneeling in support of Black Lives Matter.
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 18: Francois Pienaar, Graeme Smith (CSA acting director of cricket) and Makhaya Ntini during the 3TC Solidarity Cup match between Mr D Food Kites, OUTsurance Kingfishers and Takealot Eagles at SuperSport Park in July 18, 2020 in Pretoria, South Africa. 3TC is 3 Team Cricket, the latest evolution in short-form cricket, in which 3 teams go head-to-head-to-head in a single, explosive match. The proceeds of The Solidarity Cup will go towards helping those in the cricket community who have suffered due to Covid-19. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)
Cricket South Africa (CSA) director of cricket Graeme Smith says he received abuse and death threats after taking a knee in support of Black Lives Matter.
Ahead of an exhibition game in July, the players involved, along with officials kneeled in support for the movement, as has been observed in sports events across the globe in recent weeks.
Black Lives Matter stance results in death threats
However, the gesture has not been widely welcome, with many threatening to boycott the sport.
Speaking at a webinar hosted by financial services group PSG, Smith revealed that things got “heated” for himself and those who took the stance.
“It’s been a really challenging experience. All of us have found ourselves in a really heated space. We’ve taken an immense amount of abuse, death threats. It’s been an eye-opening experience. It has shocked me how heated things have got.”
Graeme Smith, CSA director of cricket
Graeme Smith in defence of Lungi Ngidi
The conversation around Black Lives Matter seeped into cricket when Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi fielded a question on whether the national team would take a knee when the game returned.
The 24-year-old voiced his intention to lead the conversation within the Proteas camp and, in doing so, drew criticism from former players.
Ngidi also received overwhelming support from current and ex-cricketers, including Smith.
The former Proteas captain says the player did nothing wrong in how he handled the question.
“He expressed an opinion. He didn’t make a statement. He expressed the fact that the team was going to get together and have a conversation. In no way did he deserve to be attacked. What happened to him and the way the guys came at him is entirely wrong.”
Graeme Smith, CSA director of cricket
Smith himself has also found himself caught in a racial storm, with black players recounting experiences of discrimination endured under his captaincy.
