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Hoskins' re-election as rugby president sparks racism furor

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) re-elected president Oregan Hoskins for a new two-year term on Friday after a stormy campaign dominated by ethnicity and politics.

Rugby and cricket have been engulfed in disputes that the national squads are too white, overshadowing successes on the field and causing clashes between coaches and management.

Hoskins defeated SARU deputy president Mike Stofile, who said the result proved there was racism in the sport.

"I've been saying for four years now there is no place for black people in SA rugby and this is the final nail for black people in this country," Stofile was quoted as saying by the South African Press Association. "Black people are not trusted."

Stofile -- the brother of Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile -- called on the government to intervene.

However, Hoskins himself is mixed race as is South Africa coach Peter de Villiers who was appointed in January as the first non-white coach since the country began playing internationals in 1891.

De Villiers succeeded Jake White, who coached the Springboks to victory at last year's rugby World Cup. White clashed repeatedly with administrators who said there were not enough black players in the team.

Hoskins said South Africa had made progress toward transformation of a sport which was long seen as a bastion of white supremacy during apartheid.

"Transformation is not just about color and numbers. It's about transforming our thinking, about coping with challenges facing us at international level," Hoskins said.

De Villiers himself clashed with SARU and refused to sign his contract unless he was given final say over the composition of the team. Hoskins said SARU had agreed to amend the constitution to allow the coach the final say.

South African cricket coach Mickey Arthur had a furious selection dispute last month when Cricket South Africa president Norman Arendse rejected his team for the tour of Bangladesh because it included only four non-whites.

Cricket South Africa chief executive officer Gerald Majola, who is black, supported Arthur and clashed with Arendse, who is mixed race. Majola and Arendse subsequently issued a joint statement apologizing for undermining the "integrity and reputation of the sport."

The ruling African National Congress' sport and recreation committee said on Friday rumors that Arendse would face a vote of no-confidence were "a desperate cry by those who have abandoned the principle of non-racial sport to justify the inequalities of cricket and sport in general."

South African fast bowler Andre Nel threatened to pull out of international cricket altogether after he was axed from the squad against India in favor of Charl Langeveldt, a black player. Langeveldt subsequently withdrew from the Indian tour.

"I have always fought for a place in the team, but I don't want to be put there because of my color," Langeveldt said.
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