Former Pretoria Boys High first team rugby captain, Brett Sharman, has left Northampton Saints after the club faced pressure when the SA-born professional rugby player posted a derogatory tweet about double Olympic gold medallist, Mo Farah.
The 25-year-old had been under investigation following an allegedracist tweet , for which he later made an apology.
However, Saints say a decision to terminate Sharman’s contract was made because of a knee injury that has side-lined him since January, stating there is “no immediate prospect” of a return to full fitness.
Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder said: “It is always a shame when someone’s contract comes to an end in these circumstances.
Sharman appeared to question the nationality of the Team GB runner on August 11, the day Farah won his second gold medal in the 5 000m.
According to the BBC, which claims to have seen the post, the message said: “Good luck Mohammed running for Paki... I mean Great Britain...”.
Sharman apologised the following day and has since deleted his account.
Farah, who was born in Somalia and moved to Britain when he was eight to escape the country’s civil war, has become a worldwide celebrity since his triumphs in the 10 000m and then the 5 000m.
Sharman joined the Premiership club four years ago and has established himself as a regular, filling in for England’s Dylan Hartley when he was on international duty.
Pretoria News Weekend