Bok coach: The truth must out

2008-09-07 22:40

Hennie Brandt

Johannesburg - The Peter de Villiers camp insists that the truth must out after the national rugby coach's name was linked to a sex video and blackmail over the weekend.

Rian Oberholzer, De Villiers's agent and a former CEO of SA Rugby, said on Sunday they insist that an employee of the SA Rugby Union (Saru) be called to appear before a disciplinary hearing so that the truth can be discovered.

"Peter denies that there is any truth in the allegations and denies having been involved in anything like that. He has nothing to hide. It is sad that something like this should have happened to him. He has his faults, but what he is being accused of, is not part of those," Oberholzer said on Sunday.

It was reported on Saturday that a sex video allegedly exists showing De Villiers having sex with a young woman. The same video was apparently also used to blackmail the Bok coach to get him to favour a certain Springbok when it came to team selection.

Shortly after the allegations appeared in The Weekender, Saru issued a statement, part of which reads as follows:

"Peter de Villiers and Saru categorically deny there have been any attempts to blackmail or coerce him over the selection of any player to the national squad.

Wanted R2 million

"Saru can confirm that a company employee did approach De Villiers on August 15 in Cape Town. The employee made certain extraordinary claims which Saru looked into but has been unable to find any basis to support in fact.

"The employee was advised on August 25 that he would be called to an internal misconduct hearing, the charge sheet for which is still being prepared."

The employee referred to is Chris Hewitt, one of Saru's media spokespersons and a former communications manager of the Springbok team. Soon after having been appointed as the Boks' communications manager he was removed from that post.

Oberholzer said on Sunday he would insist that Hewitt appears before a disciplinary hearing. "The truth must out."

A website reported this weekend that Hewitt was summoned to appear before a disciplinary committee last week and given the choice of either resigning last Monday or being dismissed. According to the report he refused to resign unless he was paid R2m for his four-year contract with Saru.

Saru, with Oregan Hoskins at the helm, will have to act quickly and order a thorough investigation with the necessary transparency into the allegations to find out exactly what the truth is.

The De Villiers matter has not yet been discussed by Saru or the president's council.

Saru officials are unanimous that the allegations against De Villiers are serious and that his career as Springbok coach is at stake. The necessary and true facts must be put on the table and made public as soon as possible.

Speculation is also rife whether someone may not possibly have tried to set a trap for De Villiers to fall into.

- Beeld