Good governance and depolitizisation

Writing in the Sunday Times last Week in the column Sunday Musings a question was raised whether 2008 can be the year of "depolitizisation of cricket". The question was also asked “if this is done then who would take the upper hand”.

Rugby has not had this problem so far. Yet what is it that will prevent it from happening in the future. “Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions. Although the term is generally applied to behavior within governments, politics is observed in all human group interactions, including corporate, academic, and religious institutions”.Politics consists of "social relations involving authority or power and refers to the regulation of a political unit, and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.

Since the end of the apartheid era in South Africa, racial quotas (whereby a specified number of each team must be non-white) were instituted in South African sports in an attempt to increase participation by non-white players. As in America, this type of affirmative action has been controversial since it has led to team selections other than on merit.

Areas such as these will always attract attention of governments towards control and direction of sports. It is not only in South Africa but in other parts of the developed world where we can see the involvement of Governments in the direction and control of sports.

Today sport reaches out to many; governments use it as opium for the masses. It’s great for the rulers to get a nation celebrating and citizens hyped taking away the attention of its people to the worsening economy or the increasing crime statistics, or the ever increasing cost of living.

Thus there will always be the argument for depoliticizing sports. This is to remove the political aspect, influence and or control. Good idea but who will control and direct when governmental politics is away from the scene.

Why should anybody give it up? Sport, through the means of media, grips the imagination of the people. Why give it up, when you can get the whole country behind you at a time when the majority of people have to return to life that is not so easy. It’s happening in most parts of the world.

My game of interest, rugby, has survived the politicization despite the Government having a say through the governing laws of sport. But politics is not only in Government but also arises from a definition I quoted at the beginning; Politics consists of "social relations involving authority or power and refers to the regulation of a political unit, and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy”.

This to my view is an area that rugby is not free of. The differences and conflict that arise from different methods and policies stakeholders use is nothing new. This is what leads to name calling. Among many issues a classic example is the recent conflict among selectors and the national body. Who is right is not the question but what is good for the game is what we have to consider. The crux of the matter is politics of who has authority and power.

Other issues that come to surface are the factual or the presumed actions of those who wield power that angers the others. It could be in team selection, the release of players for national practice or poaching of players. It could also mean how and when to conduct tournaments. For example does the union concentrate on the shorter version of the game the “Sevens”? The union may plan for the team to be in readiness for the Hong Kong Sevens and have three local tournaments in February. Clubs and its controllers who consider themselves the messiahs may have other ideas. This leads to the question of power and authority. It is then that the politics of group interaction of stakeholders that give the chance for the government to step in. Rugby seems to be heading and will be ripe for plucking unless we look and act smart.What is needed is good governance as in corporate governance. The term governance means two things. One is the processes by which the game is directed and controlled. The second is the many issues that arise from the separation of ownership and control. Ownership is with the Government while control is the SLRFU council which is appointed by the members. This applies to other sports as well.

The Government must be leading and use the relevant rules which include applicable laws of the land to get what is desired. Internal rules of the sports body should regulate the relationships and operation between all related parties, the most important of which are the clubs, schools and the council, the players, coaches, other officials and the rugby community. Internal systems and processes should deal with matters such as control and operation of the game

The structure must be clear on the rules and procedures for making decisions on the game. It should provide the structure through which the games objectives, as well as the means of attaining and monitoring the performance of those objectives are set.Governance should be used to monitor whether outcomes are the result of the objectives and are in accordance with plans. They have to motivate the participants of the game. The government should use the governance mechanism to motivate and push to achieve the overall game objective. It is when there is clash of system and structure that makes the politics of government to enter and direct operational matters.

De-politicization may be a myth as it is today therefore management is important.