SAFA stands by Hugo Broos amid allegations of racism and sexism

The South African Football Association has thrown its support behind Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos after allegations surfaced accusing him of racist and sexist conduct.

The controversy erupted this week after comments the Belgian coach made about defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi and his agent, which drew criticism and a formal complaint to the South African Human Rights Commission by the United Democratic Movement.

SAFA issued a statement on Saturday saying Broos’s remarks were misinterpreted and later amplified into unfounded accusations. The association insisted that his comments were directed at professional conduct issues and not at race or gender.

Broos has rejected the allegations, saying his strong rebuke of the player’s behaviour was misconstrued and that he distances himself from any accusation of racism or sexism.

The governing body also pointed to a language barrier as a contributing factor to the misunderstanding, saying that nuances in his remarks were lost in translation. SAFA stressed that in Broos’s four years in charge of the national team, there have been no prior complaints of discrimination from players or staff.

In defending their coach, SAFA credited Broos with helping to transform the national team and building strong unity within the squad. The association said players and staff remain fully behind him as Bafana Bafana gear up for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament, where they will face a series of competitive matches.

The Human Rights Commission has acknowledged receipt of complaints and says it is assessing the matter under the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, as it considers whether Broos’s remarks may fall under prohibited hate speech.