Former cricket chief Ali Bacher yesterday came out in support of Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula's ban on sporting associations, including those of cricket and rugby, bidding to host major events. The minister's decision was a major blow to the SA Rugby's intention to bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The bidding process starts next month.Former South African Cricket Union managing director Bacher said sports federations had long been warned about a possible government backlash over the lack of transformation.Bacher last night told The Times that SA Rugby had had 10 years' warning that the government would lose its patience over the failure to meet race quotas. Immediately after releasing the Eminent Persons Group's transformation report yesterday, Mbalula barred various federations from hosting or bidding for major international tournaments. Sporting teams were expected to have 60% or more representation of blacks, Indians and coloureds, he said."I have resolved to revoke the privilege of Athletics SA, Cricket SA, Netball SA and SA Rugby to host and bid for major and mega international tournaments in South Africa as a consequence of the aforementioned federations not meeting their own transformation targets with immediate effect," Mbalula said. "I will review this decision when considering the results of the 2016-2017 transformation barometer." Athletics, cricket and netball are not in line to host any upcoming major international events.In 2005 Bacher was appointed by Sasol - then the leading sponsors of SA Rugby - to represent their joint interests on the Board of SA Rugby. He recalled a meeting with the various rugby union presidents, including former SA Rugby Union deputy president Michael Stofile, in which he pushed for greater emphasis on 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'."The government ban does not apply to existing international tournament obligations such as Super rugby, the Rugby Championship and the HSBC Cape Town Sevens.Sporting federations said they would engage Mbalula after studying the report.Additional reporting by Reuters..