Springbok wing Bjorn Basson will attend Monday’s hearing in Cape Town with a bitter taste in his mouth.
At the hearing, Basson, hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, and their legal representatives will have to explain how the prohibited stimulant methylhexaneamine ended up in their bodies during last year’s end-of-season tour in Europe.
Both were sent home after the Test against Ireland.
Basson told Sport24 in an exclusive interview on Thursday that the treatment and support that he and Ralepelle had received from the South African Rugby Union (Saru) since their suspension in November 2010 has been shocking.
“I am dissatisfied with the manner in which we have been treated. Saru’s arrangements for our return was absolutely pathetic,” said Basson.
“From the time that we got to the airport in London everything was just one big mess. There was only one seat available on the flight to South Africa. Chiliboy and I then had to decide between us which one of us would only fly later. I came back first.”
The former Griquas wing said that it was not the only humiliation he had to endure.
“I only received my kit bag with all my rugby kit, including boots, from Saru in the new year. I had get on the flight in London with only my takkies, a few toiletries and a few additional pieces of clothing because there was not space for my luggage.”
Basson said the worst thing was having to handle the media virtually by himself on his return.
“There was only one Saru representative, and that did not help in terms of getting me out of the firing line. I walked into the media by myself. It leaves a very bitter taste, because we were all part of the same team, even if we were sent home,” said Basson, who got married last Saturday.
By Gerdie Karstens and Hendrik Cronjé
Courtesy of sport24
Klomp amateurs die SARU van ons…
Dit nadat dit blyk die fout kom van die begin af nog van hulle. 😯
Boohoohoo…cry me a river.
What’d he expect? Congatulations, you have tested positive for a banned substance, now let’s arrange a private jet home for you??!!
That said, SARU probably to cheapskate to put them in business class which is never full anyway.
@ Blouste:
Even amateurs should behave in a professional manner!
SARU is full of shamateurs who are, for the most part involved only for self gratification and gain, and don’t give a “monkey’s uncle” for the development of Rugby.
This is of course my personal opinion gained through years of involvement in club administration.
Leave your assets out to dry SARU. I’m sure that there are many more naive young men willing to follow you all into battle.
@ Pam Anderson:
The team management should know what EVERY PLAYER is eating, and drinking, and should scrutinise ALL MEDICATION and check for compliance against the banned substance list.
The Bok team management are not even a joke, because a joke is supposed to make one laugh. They are a sad bunch of fools who are incapable of doing their jobs to international standards.
Sure the players deserve a ban, because that’s what the rules stipulate, but the excuse for a management team involved in this fiasco will walk away without even a disciplinary hearing for poor performance.
SARU’s staff in general wouldn’t last 6 months in the real corporate world.
Scrumdown, they wouldn’t make it through the interview!
Can you imagine how Pdivvy’s interview went?
Q: what makes you the right person for the job?
A: I am a God given talent.
@ Pam Anderson:
Yeah, him and Jose Mourinho.
Yeah, but Divvy really is “special”
@ Pam Anderson:
“Special children” deserve special treatment.
With a “Daddy” like Mr Hoskins, Div certainly gets special treatment, and his “doodgebore tweeling” Tricky Dicky, well now there’s a real “special child”.
@ Scrumdown:
Fark i love this, you betterstarve yourself, there will be lots of humble pie to eat. 😆 Pdivvy has got you all mesmerised like he did to the ABs , Kangarootjies
SARU are a bunch of wankers I agree, but I don’t have much sympathy for Basson I must say. Can’t you organise things yourself if there has been a glitch and why must this come out in the media, deal with it in house.
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