The worst effect of the anti-quota propaganda has been making non-white players themselves feel like token, political selections. Thus the exceptionally talented Coloured cricketer, Herschelle Gibbs, once said, "I can't be bothered with this affirmative s-t, really." While it is understandable that players like Gibbs resent being seen as political choices, it is important that they grasp the fact that, especially in the early post-apartheid years, even exceptional players of color would have had absolutely no chance to compete if quotas did not allow them to bypass discriminatory mindsets. The quota system in the national cricket team has now been dismantled, but given the complexity of South African society, this stage could not have been reached as quickly without formalized quotas. It certainly could not have been reached by sitting back, waiting hopefully for integration. Neither could it have been reached by Nick Mallett's suggested solution of offering sports scholarships to athletic non-white students. Although this is a good idea and one shown to have worked in the past (Gibbs was recruited into a leading school on the strength of his sports), it cannot work in isolation. Schools do not necessarily filter players into provincial and national teams; neither do they deal with the reluctance of the old guard to let in players of color. (Schools can, however, be a venue to foster among the younger generation a broader sense of community that bypasses race, and that will make future quotas truly negligible.)

South Africa is a sports-mad country, where the funeral service of a former cricket captain was shown on national television, and rugby matches are so communal that people bring along barbecue grills. It is also the country where Herschelle Gibbs's father qualified for the Olympic Games, but could not compete because he was classified Coloured. Generations of brilliant athletes have not heard the cheer of a crowd because of the color of their skin. Quotas will help the next generation to take their long-due places on the field. They should neither be excused nor apologized for.

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Chehani Ekaratne is a senior in Jonathan Edwards College.