Baseball chief steps down amid controversy

Mark Ward

Kevin Johnson has resigned as president of the Cape Town Baseball Federation (CTBF), citing a persistent and unjustifiable pattern of differential treatment directed at his club, VOB.

Johnson’s decision, communicated in a letter to all clubs, follows recent developments surrounding disciplinary proceedings arising from a post-match “bench-clearing” incident during a fixture between VOB and Athlone Athletics in November.

According to the CTBF Disciplinary Committee findings, the incident escalated into a violent physical altercation involving club members, including players, as well as spectators.

In its ruling, the committee found that the conduct of both clubs constituted violent misconduct and had brought the game into gross disrepute. It further noted that neither club had presented evidence of meaningful internal disciplinary action or adequate safeguarding measures, despite the seriousness of the incident.

Both teams were consequently handed suspended sanctions until the end of the season. The ruling stated that should any similar incident be reported to, or identified by, the CTBF Disciplinary Committee, the offending team would forfeit the advantage of its next three scheduled fixtures and be summoned to a formal disciplinary hearing.

The controversy was compounded by allegations that VOB fielded ineligible players in a recent league match. This reportedly resulted in a two-match suspension of VOB’s Major League, second team, and under-18 teams—a development understood to have been the final straw in Johnson’s decision to step down.

In a strongly worded resignation letter, Johnson stated that he believed the treatment of his club was linked to his position as CTBF president and the involvement of Jody Burch as vice president. He alleges that certain decisions taken against VOB were driven not by sound governance principles but rather by “personal hostility and internal politics.”

“I am further troubled by the manner in which certain officials have been able to exercise influence over outcomes that directly affect competition, player availability, disciplinary rulings, and selection processes. Whether intended or not, this concentration of power undermines confidence in the federation’s commitment to fairness and good governance,” he said.

He further raised concerns over what he described as repeated disciplinary sanctions imposed on VOB players and members in recent months. He questioned the proportionality, consistency, and impartiality of those sanctions, arguing that their severity suggested an approach aimed more at punishment than the objective application of disciplinary codes.

“This has forced me to reflect deeply on my continued participation in a federation where the integrity of the process appears compromised,” he added.