Rugby star sacked after racism claim
A white South African rugby star has been sacked from the World Cup training squad after allegedly refusing to share a room with a black team-mate, it was reported today.
Springbok lock Geo Cronje was scheduled to share a room with Quinton Davids as part of a pre-World Cup training and bonding camp, the Cape Argus newspaper said.
It said Cronje, 23, was sent home from the training camp after the alleged incident last week.
South African Rugby would not tolerate racism, its managing director Rian Oberholzer told the newspaper.
“It’s a very emotional and sensitive issue and they’re awaiting the outcome of the investigation,” said Piet Heymans, the director of the South African Rugby Players Association. Both Davids and Cronje are members of the Association, he said.
“At the end of the day, both players are entitled to representation,” Heymans said.
Davids’ agent, Jason Smith confirmed that an investigation was underway, but would not comment further.
The South African Rugby Football Union, the sport’s governing body, could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Cape Argus newspaper reported that Afrikaner rugby hero Cronje also refused to use the same bathroom, toilet or shower as Davids.
The bearded giant eventually ended up sleeping in the same room as reserve scrum half Fourie du Preez while another black player, Gcondi Bobo, moved in with Davids.
Coach Rudolf Straueli initially punished both Cronje and Davids by making them run up and down at training. He then ordered them both to sort out their differences and resume co-habitation.
Davids felt he was being unfairly punished as he had played no part in instigating the racial stand-off.
But the Springbok management insisted today that Davids had in fact been disciplined for arriving 50 minutes late to training.
Davids responded to that charge by claiming that he believed that Cronje would have woken him up. He did not realise that his fellow lock had already left their room for good.
The crisis was threatening to tear South Africa’s World Cup preparations apart.
Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour was informed and his spokesman said today: “The minister has noted the expedient action SA Rugby has taken and that the player concerned would be leaving the camp amidst allegations of racism.
“We support the position that there needs to be an investigation but would like to stress that one or two allegations of racism should not be allowed to taint the entire camp.”
In the Springbok set-up, the practice of rotating room-mates to bond players with one another is a frequent occurrence used primarily to combat cliques forming in the squad.
