I understand that the Springbok emblem will not be on the team and they will not be known as the Boks anymore. >:( I will not go to their matches again and I will not watch them on TV. This should have been the fans choice, being a democratic country.
I blame this one on the governments bunglings, its an issue now for over 14 years, one would think that they would have done something sooner. Now its just politiking.
I dont think we should have the gov dictating emblems for any sports, national or not. That said our sports bodies certainly seem to be creatures of political will rather then being there for the sake of the sport. Its my form beleif that we would have far better sports team all round if the gov would keep thier nose out of the various sports bodies in terms of arbitray quota’s, rules and regulations.
If they want to have more black players in Jukskei for eg, they should be running programs and comps in schools and helping to lay the ground work in the feeding systems. The various sports bodies will probably take these ground works over once they see them producing players that are worth developing further.
Leave the national teams to be the best players of what ever race to be there doing what a national team does best, that showing the absolute best talent we have in the sport and hopefully making us proud by winning games.
I will not however watch any games with Luke Watson playing because I think he is a prick.
According to the Pretoria News, 22 October 2008, Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile claims that the ownership of the trademarks Springbok and king protea, reside with the Department of Sport and Recreation and not with SA Rugby.
"We own those trademarks, not rugby or anybody else. It is not their Springbok. It is our Springbok," Stofile told Parliament's sports and recreation portfolio committee on Tuesday.
Dr Owen Dean, partner at intellectual property legal firm Spoor & Fisher instituted an investigation and found that the registered owner of the trademark is SA Rugby.
Smoke and mirrors… what will they try next?
Unfortunately the trademark “Baboons” is taken. How about the “Amoebas”?