SOUTH AFRICA CRICKET COACH BOUCHER LOOKS FORWARD TO DEALING WITH RACISM ALLEGATIONS

Fri 21 January 2022:

After former teammate Paul Adams accused him of racism, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has charged Mark Boucher, the men’s national team coach, with gross misconduct.

The allegations are based on the findings of the Social Justice and Nation (SJN) Building Ombudsman, who is investigating past allegations of discrimination within the sport’s national governing body.

“While Mr Boucher is being charged with gross misconduct, which could lead to his dismissal, CSA emphasises it is important that the independent inquiry first needs to test all allegations before any question of sanction can arise,” CSA said in a statement on Thursday.

CSA added that a senior counsel, Advocate Terry Motau, had been appointed to chair a disciplinary hearing into allegations of misconduct against the coach.

Former spinner Adams said he had been called a “brown sh*t” in a South Africa team song during his time in the side, which spanned a nine-year period from 1995 to 2004, including by former wicketkeeper Boucher who has since apologised.

“I look forward to dealing with and defending these allegations which have been made and will do so at the hearing in due course,” Boucher said in a statement.

“For now I am solely focused on my duties as head coach of the Proteas.”

‘Definite findings’

The ombudsman’s report also criticised current CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith and former national team captain AB de Villiers.

The report said selection decisions made during their times as captain of the side were prejudicial towards Black players.

Smith and de Villiers have denied the allegation.

South Africa’s One-Day International team is one game into a three-match home series against India, which Boucher is in charge of.

The chair of the SJN hearings, Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, said he couldn’t make “definite findings” and recommended that further steps be taken.

Journalists received a WhatsApp message from the CSA that stated Boucher and Smith had been suspended, but the message was deleted almost immediately.

The initial heading had been sent out in error, according to a CSA spokesperson, and there had been no suspensions.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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