AP 25/08/2009
South Africa’s rugby team has been fined and found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute for protesting Bakkies Botha’s suspension by wearing armbands during the third Lions test.
The defending champion Springboks escaped a possible suspension from the next World Cup in New Zealand in 2011, however, after a more serious charge was dismissed.
The punishment, which included a £1 000 fine (R12 776) for team captain John Smit and £10 000 (R127 681) for the South African Rugby Union, was announced on Monday by the International Rugby Board after a hearing in Dublin attended by Smith and South Africa coach Peter de Villiers. The other players were each fined £200 pounds.
The charges stem from the Springboks decision to wear armbands in the third test against the British and Irish Lions on July 4 marked with the words “Justice 4 Bakkies” to protest the two-week suspension for lock forward Botha.
Botha was cited for a challenge on Lions prop Adam Jones which left the Welshman with a dislocated shoulder during the Springboks’ 28-25 victory at Pretoria in the second test.
Although the independent committee dismissed a misconduct charge for technical reasons, it said the misconduct was serious in nature and there had been no formal apology, acknowledgment, contrition or clarification from either the players or the South African Rugby Union.
“The playing arena is no place for protest,” the three-man committee said in its ruling, adding that the wearing of the armbands “showed a serious lack of respect and consideration for their opponents”.
The Independent Committee said that, had it not been for the legal technicalities, both SARU and the Springbok players and management would have faced much more serious sanctions.
That included a more severe fine in the case of SARU and the suspension of the Springbok players and management from the World Cup in 2011.
It added, however, such a ban would have remained suspended in the absence of further acts of misconduct.
The committee said it believed its decision would deter all rugby players from adopting such an unwise and ill-considered way to make their feelings clear to the IRB, or the general rugby watching public.
The IRB said it welcomed the guilty verdict but was disappointed with the punishments.
“The IRB is extremely disappointed at the level of sanctions imposed against the South African Rugby Union and its players in light of the clear findings that they have brought the game of rugby into disrepute and acted in a manner which is prejudicial to the best interests of the IRB and the game of rugby,” it said in a statement.
Ad Feedback “The IRB is giving urgent and serious consideration to the decision of the Independent Committee and the further options available to it, which include whether or not to bring an appeal against the level of sanctions imposed by the Committee.”
SARU issued a statement saying it noted the outcome of the Committee but would not respond until it had reviewed the full findings.
Hoessit alle rugga-talkers ?
Gaan bietjie besig my kant vandag, noggie eens kans gekry om vir myself n dop te skink hier in my eie kroeg nie, te veel ander suipers…..maar ek lees julle so nou en dan.
En van my kant ook welkom ook aan al die nuwe ‘talkers’, sien Lammie is ook hier, pienk balle en al, mooi man 🙂
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Jy weet K9, ek wou dit nie uitgewys het nie, maar hulle stroom in nou dat ons hier is.
@Pietman – Kry asseblief jou proriteite reg. Eers skink jy ‘n dop vir jouself, dan worry jy oor die res.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – 😆 dis seker hoekom daar opd ie stadium net 3 is waarvan 2 net nou en dan inloer!!! wys julle hoe desperaat is ek tog nie 😯
Ek dink natuurlik ons het ‘n brainfart gehad om so te protes. Moes kon verwag het dat daar konsekwensies sou wees. Hoe sal dit gaan as elke span op die veld protes aanteken teen besluite/beslissings…reg of verkeerd? Nou ja…wou dit sê…het dit gesê!!
@Tripples – jys die heeeeltyd hier……. 🙂
@Tripples – Met persone soos ek en K9 is dit nie desperaatheid nie. Dit is wysheid.
@Ed_the_Lion – daar kom die wysheid nou weer deur.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Dit voel lekker om die mense te help K9. Jy is welkom Tripples.
@Ed_the_Lion – Dankie julle twee, uit die diepte van my hart. my life would have NO meaning without you!!!!
K9, stem ook oor die brainfart, stoooopid move gewees, hulle moet eerder strike! sien dit werk baie beter 😆
@Ed_the_Lion – lekker om te weet Tripples log vanmiddag hier uit….’n beter mens.
@Tripples – Spies strike al vir ‘n paar games. Hy weier om te speel as hy op die veld is 😯
@Tripples – Jy is welkom.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Ek slaap soveel beter in die aande. Ek weet Tripples is altyd so dankbaar vir ons twee se wyshede.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – #100 en totaal vervul 😉
Bwaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahaha
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Bwahahaahahha. Hy sal nie iemand tackle nie. Hy bewys ‘n punt!!!
@Ed_the_Lion – ja man…….dring daarop aan om touchrugby te speel……..druk die IRB ‘n pit!!
@K9-MonsterLeeu – #101 ag u wish………hy speel goed man….natuurlik as hy ‘n leeu trui gedra het sou jy nie so gese het nie, praat vand eur blou brille kyk, jou rooi brille is erger hehehehe
@K9-MonsterLeeu – hehehehehehe. He took matters into his own hands. Hy doen dit nou al vandat hy begin rugby speel het. Weet nie hoe kom hy weg daarmee nie.
@Tripples – onnodige agressiwiteit daar Tripples……
@Ed_the_Lion – en net om moedswillig te wees nok hy die balle agter die skrums…….hehehe
@K9-MonsterLeeu – onnodige swak spelling daar k9!!
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Kom help my op die eerste thread.
@K9-MonsterLeeu – sorry, kan myself nie help nie…
hehehe
@Koos – When Bakkies retires? I understand he’s in training for the 2012 Olympics, following the 2011 RWC. He’s training for, wait for it, …. women’s shot put. 🙂
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