SA under-19 captain Teeger cleared after pro-Israel remarks

SA under-19 captain David Teeger was cleared of contradicting Cricket SA (CSA) and the Central Gauteng Lions’ (CGL) codes of conduct by an independent inquiry after complaints of hate speech. 

The inquiry, chaired by advocate Wim Trengove SC, found Teeger had not contravened clause 1.5.2 of CSA's Rules and Code of Conduct that governs “unbecoming or detrimental conduct which could bring them, CSA or the game of cricket into disrepute”.

A complaint lodged by the Palestine Solidarity Alliance against Teeger, 18, who was also named in the Lions U-19 team for the Khaya Majola Week and is head boy at King Edward VII, led to the inquiry.

Teeger was the recipient of the “Rising Star Award” and in a brief speech at the Jewish Achiever Awards said: “I’ve been awarded this award, and yes, I am now the rising star, but the true rising stars are the young soldiers in Israel.”

The ceremony took place on October 22, a few weeks after Israel had launched a war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Teeger’s remarks were carried in the South African Jewish Report. Since the start of the war more than 15,000 Palestinians have been killed. 

Both CSA and the CGL lodged complaints that Teeger’s remarks contravened their respective codes of conduct. 

The CGL was joined in its complaint by concerned individuals, clubs and even a sponsor.

Trengove found Teeger’s comments “did not condone or promote genocide or any other international crime”.

“He clearly belongs to the school who do not believe that Israel or the [Israeli Defence Force] has been guilty of any such crime. His tribute to them cannot be understood to imply his approval or even condonation of genocide or any other crime,” Trengove found.

Though Teeger was named captain of a provisional squad for the U-19 World Cup, which will take place in South Africa in 2024 after being moved from Sri Lanka, Trengove found his comments weren’t made on a cricket platform.

“He made it at the Jewish Achiever Awards evening, that is, at a meeting of the Jewish community. He was a young Jewish man speaking to his fellow Jews,” Trengove found.

“It was clear from his comments that he did not purport to speak for cricket, cricketers generally or indeed anybody else. His audience certainly understood that his statement was a very personal tribute and not one made on behalf of anybody else.

“Mr Teeger’s comments were certainly not detrimental to the game of cricket in the eyes of his audience. Should he have guarded against the risk that his comments might become public and that others might find them offensive? I think not. He was entitled to assume that everybody would understand that his comments were made in a conversation with his fellow Jews. 

“Others might find his statements offensive. But they would understand that the constitutional right to freedom of expression requires of us to be tolerant even of views we find offensive.

“A minority opinion, sincerely held and honestly expressed on an issue of high public interest, but entirely unrelated to cricket, is not detrimental to the game of cricket in the eyes of those who respect Mr Teeger’s right to freedom of expression.

“It is clear Mr Teeger, perhaps naively, stirred a hornet’s nest of fierce and passionate contestation and debate.”

CSA acknowledged receipt of Trengove’s findings and stated on Thursday it considered the matter closed. The Khaya Majola Week takes place in Makhanda from December 16 to 20. 

The ICC U-19 World Cup will start on January 13.