Cricket South Africa (CSA) has relieved David Teeger of leadership of their Under-19 team ahead of the ICC U19 World Cup, which begins next week, citing security concerns over the player’s stance on the Gaza-Israel conflict.
Teeger made pro-Israel sentiments in November of last year, prompting the CSA to reach its judgment.
CSA announced in a statement that Teeger will be removed of his responsibilities as captain of their U19 team while remaining a squad member.
“In light of the foregoing, CSA has decided that David should be relieved of his captaincy for the tournament.” This is in everyone’s best interests, including the SA U19 squad and David. David will continue to be a vital and active part of the team, and we wish him and the team the best of luck in the competition. “In due course, the newly appointed captain will be announced,” the CSA stated in a statement on Friday.
“As with all such events, the CSA has received regular security and risk updates regarding the World Cup.” “We have been advised that protests related to the Gaza war can be expected at the tournament venues,” CSA added. “We have also been informed that they are likely to focus on the position of the South African Under-19 captain, David Teeger, and that there is a risk that they will result in conflict or even violence, including between opposing protest groups.”
South Africa will play a warm-up match against Afghanistan on January 16 before taking on the West Indies in the tournament’s 15th edition in Potchefstroom.
During the New Year’s Test between South Africa and India, a group of pro-Palestinian fans demonstrated outside the main gate at Newlands in protest of Teegar’s nomination as Under-19 captain.
CSA anticipated that the protests would intensify in the next days and, as a result, opted to remove Teegar as captain.
Teeger was given the ABSA Jewish Achiever Awards Rising Star in October 2023, and he dedicated the honor to Israeli military.
“But, more significantly, although I have received this award and am now a rising star, the genuine rising stars in Israel are the young warriors… So I’d want to dedicate this honor to the South African family that married off one of their sons while the other remains missing. “And I’d like to dedicate it to the state of Israel and every single soldier fighting to ensure that we can live and thrive in the diaspora,” he stated in his acceptance speech.