Naas Botha weighs in: Solving the Jan-Hendrik Wessels ban dilemma
Naas Botha criticises World Rugby’s disciplinary process and potential anti-SA bias following Jan-Hendrik Wessels’ controversial ban for a genital grab incident with no video evidence, highlighting inconsistencies in penalty enforcement. Picture: Michael Sherman/IOL
Image: Michael Sherman/IOL
Former Springbok flyhalf Naas Botha has weighed in on the controversial Jan-Hendrik Wessels genital grab ban, saying the move could set a dangerous precedent for World Rugby.
Bulls player Wessels received a nine-week ban (later reduced to eight) for a genital grab on Connacht’s Josh Murphy during their URC clash in Galway on October 17.
This despite no video evidence of the incident, and going on Murphy’s version of events alone. According to a Planet Rugby report, it said Wessels’ evidence was also deemed credible, but it was noted that his oral evidence “was brief and not supported by any third party.”
The only footage that exists related to the incident is that of Murphy hitting Wessels twice. This, of course, Murphy maintains was in retaliation for the genital grab.
Botha Questions World Rugby’s Disciplinary Process at Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational
“How did they get to nine weeks?,” Botha said over the weekend at the Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational at Sun City.
“That's what we couldn't figure out. Then it became eight weeks, that's another one.
“Then there's not really any evidence, or everybody says that it's very difficult to find the evidence. So we can't start going on hearsay, because I think that's going to become dangerous, because if I don't like you, I can actually just come out and say something bad about you, and then what?
“Are we going to go on that now? So I think this is where World Rugby really needs to step up, and they need to clarify precisely how it works. I know they said, "For this you're getting so many weeks, for that you're getting so many weeks.”
Botha Criticises Inconsistent Penalties and Suggests Anti-SA Bias
Botha argued that there was inconsistency in the penalty handed out.
“But we've also seen in the past, we've seen actually some serious incidents, and a guy gets two weeks. Then we get something like a hearsay thing. Then now it's nine weeks.
“If it really happened, then you deserve something like that.”
The 67-year-old went on to explain that there could be anti-SA bias behind such a ruling.
“But then be clear, be very clear on how you're going to go about it, because the thing is, and I don't like to say it, but it just feels sometimes, if a South African is involved, it's like a little bit on the short end of the stick, and I don't really like that.
“If you don't like us winning World Cups, then just come out and say that. Or if you're a little bit jealous we’re winning World Cups, then come out and say that, but don't fabricate.
“I'm not saying that guy is fabricating something, but at the end he got the red card on the field, and then suddenly it was all changed afterwards. If something did happen, we'll never know.”