Description
The article discusses the political implications of cricket in South Africa, specifically the sport's role in undermining the legitimacy of the apartheid regime. It argues that cricket was a powerful tool in the reform process, and that it should not be viewed as a purely recreational activity.
The sport of cricket has particular political connotations as it embraces an ethos that is symbolic of a wider-held belief system. Sport is subject to influences far beyond the playing field. Politics is also subject to the same social and economic influences. The popular and widespread view that sport and politics do not mix emanates from conservative ideology. Focusing on the sports boycott as a political strategy, Jon Gemmell analyses the relationship between sport and politics through an historical analysis of South African cricket. He argues convincingly that cricket assisted the reform process by undermining the legitimacy of the apartheid regime.
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