The alleged racist attack of a rugby figure on a beggar shakes South Africa

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Eben Etzebeth is a time bomb for the Springboks. The second line, a key figure in South African rugby, continues in the national team that is looking for the third World Cup in Japan for a country where rugby goes beyond sports. Despite the serious accusations that weigh on his person. The white player has been denounced for hitting a 42-year-old black beggar with a gun in August and giving him and others a racist insult to Apartheid. His team, which has signed on Tuesday against Canada its most comfortable victory of the tournament (66-7), is in a break and he defends his innocence.

The events occurred on August 25 in Langebaan, west of the country. The local press has echoed several accusations. According to them, Etzebeth (27 years old) would have struck with his gun in the face and insulted a beggar. In total, four people have reported being physically and verbally abused that day; from hitting the gun to the term "hotnot", which the Human Rights Commission of South Africa - SAHRC in its acronym in English - defines as a prohibited word that "infringes on the rights of the community" and was used during the Apartheid "against human dignity. "

The player is key to the course of South Africa, a country that made rugby an element of reconciliation after winning the World Cup he organized in 1995 and has taken steps to incorporate a greater number of non-white players into his national team, the main promoters of the sport. In fact, it is for the first time captained by a black player, Siya Kolisi. At 27, Etzebeth has 83 internationalities and her contest is presumed crucial. South Africa will be measured in the quarterfinals to Japan, Scotland or Ireland on October 20.

SAHRC's lawyer, Buang Jones, said the Commission demands financial compensation that would exceed one million rands (about 60,000 euros). "We will ask for a criminal investigation [which can range from hate crime to attempted murder], community services and other forms of compensation." He said the entity has audio notes, video clips and witness statements to support his allegations. Jones adds precedents: "We have been told that it is not the first time that it does, but this ends here."

"I am an ambassador of this rainbow nation"

The player defends his innocence. “It is completely false and unfounded that I have physically or racially abused anyone. Multiple witnesses can corroborate it. I am and always will be an ambassador for this beautiful rainbow nation and the sport I love, ”he said in his Facebook account. The accusations came days before the coach, Rassie Erasmus, included him on the list for Japan. The national federation claims to be in permanent contact with the Human Rights Commission and has initiated an internal process, but ensures that the details of it "will only be the responsibility of the player and the entity."

The Commission will request information from the police department after receiving complaints about the alleged bias of the agent who initiated the investigation. However, he underlines his intention not to be pressing for Etzebeth to return from the World Cup: "The matter will continue its normal course." The case is for now in an Equality Court - they function as civil courts - which could cite him during the tournament. South Africa came to the World Cup as the only unbeaten team of 2019 until it fell on the inaugural event against New Zealand. Despite this, it is the great aspirant to dethrone the current two-time champions.

The Springboks, with Etzebeth as a substitute, have imposed themselves in Canada on Kobe, who took one less for the red one to Josh Larsen, the sixth ejected from the tournament. The South Africans scored 10 trials, three of them by the half-Melee Cobus Reinach, and their coach tested off-site players: the opening Elton Jantjies played as a center for unforeseen events. South Africa is the first team to finish the group stage and they will have more time than their rivals to prepare for the quarterfinal duel: 12 days to assault the semifinals or for any video to dismantle the innocence of its great pillar in the front and activate the bomb of watchmaking.