Bidding ban lifted on rugby, cricket and netball

Cape Town - The department of Sport and Recreation has lifted its ban that had prevented the organisations in charge of South African rugby, cricket and netball from bidding for and hosting major events. 

The news broke on Tuesday morning following a meeting in Pretoria where government officials and representatives from those organisations reviewed the 2015/16 Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report on transformation. 

In April last year, then-sports minister Fikile Mbalula had banned rugby, cricket, netball and athletics from bidding for or hosting major events due to their transformation scorecards in the 2014/15 EPG report. 

It affected SA Rugby more than anyone, given that they are lining up a bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. 

The lifting of the ban means that government can now officially back that World Cup bid, and that SA Rugby will be able to submit its final, signed bid documents to World Rugby by the June 1 deadline. 

Of the four codes, athletics was the only one to not have its ban lifted. 

More to follow ...

Rugby, cricket, netball – these federations can bid & host international events in SA.@GertCOosthuizen @sumayyasport @MickeyFusi

— Dep. Sport & Rec (@SPORTandREC_RSA) May 9, 2017