South Africa's sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, has added his voice to the growing backlash at Afghanistan's participation in next month's ICC Champions Trophy, comparing the Taliban regime's treatment of women in the country to Apartheid,

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is 40 days away, but the controversies are taking no stopping, as the South Africa Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, is the latest person to join the boycott movement of the mega event.

Despite mounting calls in England and South Africa for their men’s teams to boycott Afghanistan matches in the Champions Trophy 2025, it is highly unlikely that the games will be cancelled. This is primarily because neither team would want to forfeit valuable points in a closely contested,

McKenzie urges his country’s cricket governing body not to honour the Champions Trophy fixture against Afghanistan.

South Africa’s sports minister has joined public calls for the Proteas to boycott the Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan next month.

McKenzie also termed the International Cricket Council (ICC) as hypocritical for not upholding its own mandates that member nations develop men's and women's cricket.

South Africa won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1998 in Bangladesh. Back then, the Champions Trophy was known as the ICC KnockOut Tournament. The Proteas haven't played a final since then.

Despite prominent anti-apartheid activist Peter Hain asking South Africa to protest Afghanistan match in the Champions Trophy 2025, it has been reported that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is in no mood to act against the Asian nation ruled by Taliban.

South Africa's Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has openly backed the increasing calls to boycott Afghanistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy. His position comes in line with British politicians who have called on England to not play against Afghanistan next month.

Seven MPs and peers from Northern Ireland back boycott due to the Taliban's oppression of women.