MTN-Qhubeka only signs riders that can speak english

[jojogogo]

Disgraceful comments by Brian Smith " If someone comes to our team they have to fit into our culture. They have to speak English and be a nice guy "

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mtn-qhubeka-hoping-to-secure-bigger-budget-and-sign-cavendish/

This coming from a team registered in a country where only 31% of the population speak english.

 

[42x16ss]

Doesn't mean that they can't teach riders English

 

[Ruudz0r]

It's pretty logical to me, you need to be able to communicate as a team, if you cant speak English (or not willing to learn it) and go to a team where they communicate in English then you will not function that well.

Do you expect to be hired by a company where everything is in Chinese while you don't speak Chinese?

 

[jsem94]

I don't understand how it's disgraceful. Yes, it is discriminatory, just like a Chinese company would discriminate against non-Chinese speakers.

MTN may be missing out on some great riders and in that case that's their own fault.

 

[jojogogo]

Re:

It's pretty logical to me, you need to be able to communicate as a team, if you cant speak English (or not willing to learn it) and go to a team where they communicate in English then you will not function that well.

Do you expect to be hired by a company where everything is in Chinese while you don't speak Chinese?

I agree with you. but his comments imply that this is a prerequisite to joining the team regardless of whether you willing to learn english.

Not being able to speak english hasn't hindered Etixx – Quick-Step & Fernando Gaviria as Brian Holm said " At present, his English is non-existent. “We’ve had [former British pro] Tim Harris translating our meetings in the mornings,” said Holm. “If you want an interview with him, you do it in Spanish or get Tim to help.”
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/raci...-man-hailed-as-the-next-mark-cavendish-190867

 

[jojogogo]

Re:

I don't understand how it's disgraceful. Yes, it is discriminatory, just like a Chinese company would discriminate against non-Chinese speakers.

MTN may be missing out on some great riders and in that case that's their own fault.

thats just my opinion.

 

[MatParker117]

Sky have a similar rule:

 

[jsem94]

Etixx made a great move. Gaviria is worth it even if they need an interpreter.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Disgraceful comments by Brian Smith " If someone comes to our team they have to fit into our culture. They have to speak English and be a nice guy "

And they sign Cav

 

[King Boonen]

It's a team sport where communication is vital. It's extremely logical to insist that all riders can speak a common language. He's not said they have to be totally fluent, but wanting riders who can communicate with the other riders and staff is hardly a bad thing.

If we want to be pedantic about it there are probably over 2,000 languages spoken in Africa, even if we limit it to the ones spoken by a large majority of the population there's 15 languages. English is an official language in, I think, 21 countries in Africa. The only other language that comes close to that as far as I'm aware is French.

Yes it's going to be a barrier for some people. Yes it would be better if it weren't required but honestly, it's hardly something you can really complain about.

 

[SafeBet]

Sbaragli wasn't fluent at all and they signed it anyway.
Of course they must be willing to learn.

 

[King Boonen]

Disgraceful comments by Brian Smith " If someone comes to our team they have to fit into our culture. They have to speak English and be a nice guy "

And they sign Cav

I've actually met and ridden with Cav. He's a very nice guy.

 

[Metabolol]

Disgraceful comments by Brian Smith " If someone comes to our team they have to fit into our culture. They have to speak English and be a nice guy "

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mtn-qhubeka-hoping-to-secure-bigger-budget-and-sign-cavendish/

This coming from a team registered in a country where only 31% of the population speak english.

Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Disgraceful comments by Brian Smith " If someone comes to our team they have to fit into our culture. They have to speak English and be a nice guy "

And they sign Cav

Cav is actually a very nice guy, raised a ton of money for charity and always really happy to sign autographs for me when I've approached him. Sure he can whinge but it's onyo because he cares so much.

 

[hrotha]

Cav is a very nice guy when things are going his way.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

The team operates like a little business. Of course they can set standards wrt communication.

And no, the corp lingo of MTN isn't Xhosa either.

 

[42x16ss]

I'm sure that MTN are more than willing to teach new riders English as long as they're willing to learn. If not, then yes, that is a disgrace.

 

[BigMac]

Portuguese fans be at peace. Costa is never going to MTN.

 

[sienna]

Their cycle advocacy more than gets them off the hook.

 

[hfer07]

Re:

I don't understand how it's disgraceful. Yes, it is discriminatory, just like a Chinese company would discriminate against non-Chinese speakers.

MTN may be missing out on some great riders and in that case that's their own fault.

That's what Brian Smith is missing - the big picture & perhaps how "globalized" is the sport nowadays. for instance: What if wealthy company located in either France, Spain, Italy is interested in sponsoring the team & as requirement they ask to hire some local riders with no English speaking background - will Smith tell them to fvck off?

It doesn't make sense to me just to avoid hiring great talent at the expense of his stubborn "Anglo Saxon ideologies" - and I mean it- because even the French teams, which are set up mainly for french nationals & french speakers alike - they even hire foreigners with their native languages to blend in and learn it- heck- even some of the DS's are English speakers nowadays, as opposed to Smith's narrow minded approach .........

BTW - I've had detected his "apathy & dislike" for non English speaker riders a long time ago by the way he commentates for ES.... I guess his true colors are now showing off....

 

[Aapjes]

Re: Re:

It's quite amusing/sad how off their rocker the PC crowd is nowadays: "How dare businesses hire people with the skills they need to be successful!"

It's a fairly basic fact that English is the lingua franca of modern times and if you want to succeed internationally, it is at least a huge help to speak it and in many cases a requirement.

Yes, it is discriminatory, just like a Chinese company would discriminate against non-Chinese speakers.

It's even more discriminatory to require that riders have talent. I can learn a new language, but I cannot change my genes to get cycling talent. So teams that require their riders to have talent is exactly the same as racism, as skin color and talent are both due to genes that cannot be changed.

/sarcasm

 

[dirkprovin]

Disgraceful comments by Brian Smith " If someone comes to our team they have to fit into our culture. They have to speak English and be a nice guy "

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mtn-qhubeka-hoping-to-secure-bigger-budget-and-sign-cavendish/

This coming from a team registered in a country where only 31% of the population speak english.

Just a wee bit off there re South Africa. Whilst English is the FIRST language of only a small percentage of the population; it is the most "common" means of communication and is the primary language of business/ government & most mass media. Furthermore, the language of education in ALL schools (exc a small number of Afrikaans language schools where they would still learn it as a 2nd language) from grade 1 is English.

 

[TMP402]

MTN have hired Spanish and Italian riders... just not many Frenchmen. But the problem is with MTN. Okay.

 

[Al Lesklar]

Well, on Trek, everyone has to understand Cancellaran.

 

[gaizka]

i know one new rider of MTN and he doesn't know english... if you have the quality, you are in.