Luke Watson: giocatore sotto accusa.
Inviato: 14 ott 2008, 3:34
Bok flanker claims speech twisted for propaganda
By JAMIE PANDARAM - SMH | Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Luke Watson did not deny making those comments - the ones that have led to an investigation by the South African rugby board and have left the Springbok facing hate speech allegations - but he claims his words have been twisted for propaganda.
Watson believes his address to a group at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Rugby Football Club on October 3 was recorded unlawfully. But that matters little now the comments are in the public domain. Statements like: "The problem with South African rugby is that it is controlled by Dutchmen", and, "Me having to wear the Springbok jersey, to keep myself from vomiting on it, [is] because there is a bigger picture, because men and women have bled for me to get there".
Watson, the son of Eastern Cape activist Dan "Cheeky" Watson, reportedly told the club gathering of his isolation from his national teammates and former coach Jake White, and was quoted as saying, "the men who sit on my left and right of me in the change room despise me for who I am".
Reports quoted Watson, 24, saying: "I sat with my father last year in the Springbok camp. I was in the hotel. I said, 'Dad, I'm leaving. This place is despicable, it's disgusting. The men won't talk to me, they won't greet me, the very coach won't greet me. They walk past me. I sat at a table by myself; they wouldn't eat with me, because I was a political pawn.'
"But yet, Danie Craven has stadiums named after him. Danie Craven, the very man that said a black man will never play for the Springboks … but yet I'm a political pawn? The little white boy in the corner that sits with his mouth shut, eating by himself?
"My father said, 'Unpack your bag … Too many people, Luke, have bled, so that you can be here. Whether you play or not, your very presence symbolises victory, symbolises a step forward, symbolises us coming up against South African rugby, an institution that is rotten to the very core'."
Afrikaner rights group AfriForum has demanded Watson apologise and retract his alleged statements regarding Dutchmen within seven days or face a charge of hate speech before the Equality Court. Amid the outrage is the heart of this matter: the Springbok emblem, which many view as the "South African swastika" and apparently makes Watson want to vomit on his jersey.
There is a strong push in the country to remove the Springbok emblem from all sporting uniforms. The timing of the public release of Watson's comments was said to be a ploy by the anti-Springbok emblem movement to win community favour, but instead has angered the nine-Test back-rower.
Watson also reportedly told the gathering he never wanted to represent the Springboks.
"Did I ever want to be there? No, it's never been my dream, but I chose this burden with the greatest of pride and satisfaction, knowing that my father, Cheeky Watson, laid down his life to get me there; knowing that Zola Yeye laid down his life, Archie Mkele, legends from the Eastern Cape where I grew up, known to me as my uncles and my fathers, knowing that they fought for me to get here, and that my job is to bear the burden and carry the torch of hope."
Speaking to local media on Sunday, Watson admonished the reports and said he was left with "a feeling of absolute disgust that people could stoop to these levels for the sake of a story".
"This was a private discussion on transformation. It was unlawfully audio recorded and unlawfully distributed and I therefore reserve my rights," Watson said.
The SARU released a statement expressing "shock" at Watson's comments and promised to meet Watson's club, Western Province, and UCT before deciding on any action, careful not to "pre-judge" the player on media reports.
By JAMIE PANDARAM - SMH | Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Luke Watson did not deny making those comments - the ones that have led to an investigation by the South African rugby board and have left the Springbok facing hate speech allegations - but he claims his words have been twisted for propaganda.
Watson believes his address to a group at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Rugby Football Club on October 3 was recorded unlawfully. But that matters little now the comments are in the public domain. Statements like: "The problem with South African rugby is that it is controlled by Dutchmen", and, "Me having to wear the Springbok jersey, to keep myself from vomiting on it, [is] because there is a bigger picture, because men and women have bled for me to get there".
Watson, the son of Eastern Cape activist Dan "Cheeky" Watson, reportedly told the club gathering of his isolation from his national teammates and former coach Jake White, and was quoted as saying, "the men who sit on my left and right of me in the change room despise me for who I am".
Reports quoted Watson, 24, saying: "I sat with my father last year in the Springbok camp. I was in the hotel. I said, 'Dad, I'm leaving. This place is despicable, it's disgusting. The men won't talk to me, they won't greet me, the very coach won't greet me. They walk past me. I sat at a table by myself; they wouldn't eat with me, because I was a political pawn.'
"But yet, Danie Craven has stadiums named after him. Danie Craven, the very man that said a black man will never play for the Springboks … but yet I'm a political pawn? The little white boy in the corner that sits with his mouth shut, eating by himself?
"My father said, 'Unpack your bag … Too many people, Luke, have bled, so that you can be here. Whether you play or not, your very presence symbolises victory, symbolises a step forward, symbolises us coming up against South African rugby, an institution that is rotten to the very core'."
Afrikaner rights group AfriForum has demanded Watson apologise and retract his alleged statements regarding Dutchmen within seven days or face a charge of hate speech before the Equality Court. Amid the outrage is the heart of this matter: the Springbok emblem, which many view as the "South African swastika" and apparently makes Watson want to vomit on his jersey.
There is a strong push in the country to remove the Springbok emblem from all sporting uniforms. The timing of the public release of Watson's comments was said to be a ploy by the anti-Springbok emblem movement to win community favour, but instead has angered the nine-Test back-rower.
Watson also reportedly told the gathering he never wanted to represent the Springboks.
"Did I ever want to be there? No, it's never been my dream, but I chose this burden with the greatest of pride and satisfaction, knowing that my father, Cheeky Watson, laid down his life to get me there; knowing that Zola Yeye laid down his life, Archie Mkele, legends from the Eastern Cape where I grew up, known to me as my uncles and my fathers, knowing that they fought for me to get here, and that my job is to bear the burden and carry the torch of hope."
Speaking to local media on Sunday, Watson admonished the reports and said he was left with "a feeling of absolute disgust that people could stoop to these levels for the sake of a story".
"This was a private discussion on transformation. It was unlawfully audio recorded and unlawfully distributed and I therefore reserve my rights," Watson said.
The SARU released a statement expressing "shock" at Watson's comments and promised to meet Watson's club, Western Province, and UCT before deciding on any action, careful not to "pre-judge" the player on media reports.