Former Cricket SA boss Ali Bacher has backed sports minister Fikile Mbablula’s ban on SA Rugby regarding the hosting of major international events.

Bacher said SA Rugby had known 10 years ago that such measures would be taken if it failed to meet the government’s race quotas.

Bacher was appointed by Sasol, the major sponsor of SA Rugby in 2005, to sit on the board of SA Rugby. He told The Times about a meeting he had with various rugby union presidents, including former SA Rugby deputy president Mike Stofile, where he emphasised the need for greater transformation provincially.

‘I told them, “The ANC is becoming very impatient. We need to have better representation. If we don’t move quickly on transformation the government will come down hard on us”,’ Bacher said.

Mbablula imposed the ban following the release of the Eminent Persons Group report on sport transformation on Monday, revoking the hosting rights of SA Rugby, Athletics South Africa, Cricket South Africa and Netball South Africa.

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