FULL STATEMENT: CSA welcomes De Kock apology, regrets timing of ‘taking the knee’ directive
On Thursday morning, De Kock issued out a statement saying if this was communicated earlier, he would have had no issue with taking the knee.
Cricket South Africa has welcomed an apology from Protea wicketkeeper Quintin De Kock amid the furore over his refusal to “take the knee” in support of anti-racism during a World Cup match.
De Kock withdrew from the Proteas’ T20 World Cup match against the West Indies on Tuesday for “personal reasons”, but is soon became clear that the symbolic gesture against racism was in the issue.
On Thursday morning, De Kock issued out a statement saying if this was communicated earlier, he would have had no issue with taking the knee.
FULL STATEMENT:
Last night, the Cricket South Africa Board Chair and two directors met with the men’s Proteas team and management to discuss the Board’s directive regarding “taking the knee”.
The Board representatives clarified the Board position and engaged with the issues raised by the players. Following the meeting, the Proteas men’s team agreed to align and unify in taking the knee for the remaining fixtures of the World Cup campaign.
CSA has also noted the statement issued by Quentin de Kock in which he too has agreed to take the knee and issued an apology. Cricket South Africa welcomes all of these developments. They confirm Cricket South Africa’s commitment to non-racism.
Taking a united stance against racism is a moral issue, not a political issue. The CSA Board regrets that the timing of its directive earlier this week may have been unsettling for the players in the lead-up to the match against the West Indies.
The CSA is fully supportive of the Protea Men’s team and its captain Temba Bavuma and looks forward to continued successes by the Proteas at the World Cup.
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