WP probes alleged racism at Test

Jean de Villiers hoists the trophy with the Springbok team after their Castle Rugby Championship match against Australia at Newlands on Saturday. Photo: Ashley Vlotman

Jean de Villiers hoists the trophy with the Springbok team after their Castle Rugby Championship match against Australia at Newlands on Saturday. Photo: Ashley Vlotman

Published Oct 1, 2014

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Cape Town - Western Province Rugby is reportedly probing an incident involving racism in which a group of spectators at Newlands allegedly shouted the k-word every time a Springbok player of colour made a mistake during Saturday’s Test between South Africa and Australia.

“I would like to make it quite clear that Newlands and WP Rugby will not tolerate racism of any kind,” WP Rugby chief executive Rob Wagner told Cape Talk Radio on Tuesday.

“Our stadium rules specifically cover racism. Rule 11 states, ‘WP Rugby reserves the right to refuse admission to, or to eject from the ground, any person/s who, in the reasonable opinion of WP Rugby, its servants or agents, makes or incites any form of racial abuse, chanting, gesturing or behaviour.”

While Wagner and WP Rugby general manager for marketing, Gavin Lewis, could not be reached, SA Rugby Mag reported that Wagner’s comment was made after rugby fan Eddie Burger e-mailed Cape Talk to say his son had taken a friend to Newlands.

Burger wrote that khaki-clad spectators had verbally abused them because his son had confronted them after they refused to stop shouting the k-word. It was the friend’s first visit to Newlands.

“This is behaviour that cannot be tolerated. We will not tolerate it,” Wagner said.

According to SA Rugby Mag, Wagner said an investigation had begun. If found guilty of racist behaviour, the perpetrators could be banned from Newlands matches.

Cape Times

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