South Africa Removes Under-19 Cricket Captain Over Pro-Israel Comments

David Teeger remains in the squad despite being stripped of captaincy due to safety concerns amid potential protests at the World Cup.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has removed David Teeger as captain of the Under-19 team due to safety concerns over his pro-Israel comments, but he remains in the squad.
Teeger, who is Jewish, dedicated an award to Israeli soldiers in October 2021, sparking backlash and an official complaint from the Palestinian Solidarity Alliance (PSA).
An independent inquiry by Wim Trengrove found Teeger had acted within his constitutional right to freedom of expression and did not engage in any unbecoming or detrimental conduct.
Despite being cleared, CSA decided to remove Teeger as captain ahead of the Under-19 World Cup, citing potential protests and violence at the tournament venues.
The decision comes as South Africa accuses Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice, further straining relations between the two countries.