Under-19 Cricket World Cup host South Africa said on Friday it has stripped its skipper of the captaincy over fears he could be targeted by protesters over his pro-Israeli views.
David Teeger was cleared of wrongdoing last month after he praised Israeli soldiers fighting in Gaza at an award ceremony for Jewish achievers.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) said it has been advised that protests over the conflict are likely to target the tournament's venue and focus on the teenager, with a risk of "conflict or even violence".
"CSA has decided that David should be relieved of the captaincy for the tournament. This is in the best interests of all the players, the SA U19 team and David himself," it said.
Teeger will remain a member of the squad and a new captain will be announced in due course, it added.
In October, Teeger dedicated an award to Israeli soldiers fighting in Gaza, leading to a complaint from a pro-Palestinian group.
The decision to strip him of the captaincy comes as South Africa and Israel are fighting a legal battle before the UN's top court in The Hague.
Pretoria, which has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, is accusing Israel of "genocide" over its military campaign in Gaza, a charge Israel has angrily dismissed.
The decision has been slammed by the South African Zionist Federation which said the decision was a blatant act of discrimination and antisemitism against a Jewish player.
"The action taken against Teeger, who is Jewish, solely based on his religious identity and personal beliefs, is deeply troubling and sets a dangerous precedent for sports in this country. It is an affront to the values of diversity, inclusivity, and the spirit of sportsmanship that cricket and indeed all sports are supposed to embody.
"Discrimination on the grounds of religion or personal belief is unacceptable in any form and should have no place in sports, which are supposed to unite people from diverse backgrounds and beliefs.
"The rationale provided by CSA, citing concerns of 'violence' and 'safety,' is unconvincing and appears to be a thinly veiled attempt to mask the underlying discriminatory motive. The organisation has failed to explain why they are incapable or unwilling to put in place the usual security measures to ensure the safety of participants and spectators," SAZF said.
AFP (additional reporting AFM)
