Boucher denies racial discrimination

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Mark Boucher celebrates with Paul Adams
  • Post published:August 22, 2021

Proteas coach Mark Boucher has handed in two sworn affidavits in reaction to allegations that he was one of the people who racially discriminated former teammate Paul Adams.

Speaking at Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) Social Justice and Nation-Building hearings last month, Adams revealed several instances of racial discrimination, including being nicknamed “brown s***” by his teammates, across his playing and coaching career.

While the former South African spinner didn’t initially name Boucher, he later admitted that the current Proteas coach was one of his teammates that referred to him as a “brown s***”.

“I never addressed it with him. Mark was just one of the guys (who called me that)… it only came back to me afterwards. I was caught up in the fun of being along in the team and not (wanting) to ruffle any feathers. For me, when I thought about it, and my wife kept telling me, ‘why do they call you that?’ then I realised it wasn’t right.”

Boucher has since been heavily criticised, with many asking him to appear before the SJN hearings to state his case, while others are calling for his head as Proteas coach.

In the latest twist according to Sunday newspaper Rapport, it has been confirmed that Boucher’s lawyers have handed in two affidavits to the transformation ombudsman a fortnight ago. In one affidavit he apologises unreservedly to Adams for any offence and hurt he might have caused during their playing days, while in the other, he vehemently rejects the allegations levelled against him.

Photo: Rebecca Naden – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images