Quotas in South African cricket – what the players say

Abstract

Since 1994, quotas have been a part of the national discourse, as a means of increasing the representation of ‘Black’ players in South African sports teams. This qualitative study investigated players’ and key informants’ perceptions of the effectiveness of a quota intervention in South African cricket. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with elite players from all ethnic groups (n = 43), and with key informants (n = 16). Data were thematically analysed relative to barriers and enablers of talent development. Findings indicate that despite providing opportunities to an increasing number of Black African players at the representative levels, and inspiring young players to play cricket, the quotas have had a limited effect on other barriers and enablers to talent development. Holistic player development was identified as a more effective process of achieving sustainable transformation. Furthermore, quotas have had a negative impact on individual players of all ethnicities and exacerbated the limited inclusivity in team environments.