South African star cricketer agrees to take a knee
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Just 48 hours after plunging South African cricket into a crisis, star player Quinton De Kock has backtracked on his decision not to take a knee to show his support in the fight against racism.
As previously reported by PANA, the batsman and former captain refused to take a knee ahead of a World Cup clash against the West Indies in Dubai on Tuesday.
The controversy was sparked on Monday when Cricket South Africa chairperson Lawson Naidoo informed the squad that they would be required to adopt the now-globally recognised Black Lives Matter symbol.
De Kock subsequently withdrew from the squad while the rest of the players complied with the order.
In a passionate statement released on Thursday, De Kock apologised to his teammates and South African cricket supporters.
He ended the statement by saying that, if picked, he would be happy to play for his country again.
“I understand the importance of standing against racism, and I also understand the responsibility of us as players to set an example. Maybe some people don't understand that we were just hit with this on Tuesday morning, on the way to a game,” he said.
He also noted that he comes from a mixed race family. “My half-sisters are Coloured and my step mom is Black. For me, Black lives have mattered since I was born. Not just because there was an international movement. I was raised to understand that we all have rights, and they are important. I felt like my rights were taken away when I was told what we had to do in the way that we were told,” he added.
-0- PANA CU/MA 28Oct2021
