- Broos says his “white” comment was a figure of speech about fear and not about race.
- Safa defends the coach, saying he was frustrated by agents who care more about money than players.
Hugo Broos is fighting back.
The Bafana Bafana coach and the South African Football Association (Safa) have strongly denied that he made racist or sexist remarks.
Broos found himself in the middle of a political storm after a recent press conference.
Speaking about defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who missed a flight to camp, Broos said: “He is a black guy but when he comes out of my room he will be white.”
He also attacked the player’s agent, Basia Michaels. He called her a “nice little woman who… thinks she knows football” and accused agents of only asking “How much can I get?”
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) called the comments offensive and filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.
But Broos says he was misunderstood.
“It is unfortunate that my strong rebuke of the player’s conduct and subsequent comments were misinterpreted,” Broos said. “I distance myself from any accusation of racism and sexism.”
Safa has jumped to his defence.
The association called it “mind-boggling” that Broos would be accused of discriminating against a player he selected for the national team.
They blamed a language barrier.
Safa explained that the “white” comment was a metaphor for being pale with fear after a scolding, not a comment on race.
Regarding the “little woman” jab at the agent, Safa said Broos was making a point about agents prioritising money over player development.
“There was no discriminatory motive,” the association stated.
They pointed out that in Broos’s four years with Bafana, no issues of racism or sexism had ever been raised before. They believe his direct style is what has helped build unity in the squad.
Pictured above: Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
Image source: File
