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South African star Quinton de Kock has apologised for refusing to take the knee in his team’s T20 World Cup match and said he would be “happy” to do it.”
“I would like to start by saying sorry to my teammates, and the fans back home,” de Kock said in a statement on Thursday.
“I never ever wanted to make this a Quinton issue. I understand the importance of standing against racism, and I also understand the responsibility of us as players to set an example.
“If me taking a knee helps to educate others, and makes the lives of others better, I am more than happy to do so.”
De Kock explained he comes from a mixed race family with his half-sisters being coloured and his stepmother is black.
“For me, Black lives have mattered since I was born. Not just because there was an international movement,” said the 28-year-old.
De Kock pulled out of Tuesday’s match against holders West Indies for “personal reasons”, defying orders from Cricket South Africa (CSA) to their players on following the anti-racism gesture.
They acted after pictures emerged from the team’s first game against Australia at the weekend where some players knelt and some stood. – AFP
