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Murder probe into thugby death
25/06/2006 23:12 - (SA)
Revona Kees, Kattes Kruger and Llewellyn Prince, Die Burger
Rawsonville - Police are investigating a murder charge after a Matie student died after a stiff-arm tackle to the throat and then being kicked in the head during a vicious, brutal rugby game.
Riaan Loots, a B Com student at the University of Stellenbosch and flyhalf for Rawsonville Rugby Club, was declared brain dead on Saturday morning.
He had been stiff-arm tackled during the game, and then apparently kicked unconscious during ferocious fighting in the Premier League match between Delicious of Ceres and Rawsonville.
Paramedics tried to revive him without any success and he was rushed by ambulance to the Medi-Clinic in Worcester.
Lay next to brain-dead player
Riaan's father, Willie, and mother, Lana, stood shattered next to his bed in the intensive-care unit while his girlfriend, Lizandra Nel, lay next to the brain-dead player.
This was when the family decided that their son's organs should be donated.
On Sunday, Loots snr asked: "How am I going to live without Riaantjie?"
Rawsonville chairperson D P Spannenberg said he was threatened with a knife and a beer bottle after the match.
He said that "it was the worst case of naked hatred," he'd ever seen among spectators.
Captain Randall Stoffels of the police said a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm was investigated initially.
Now that Loots had died, however, it would be changed to murder. No one has yet been arrested.
Willie Loots said: "He was a lovely child who excelled in rugby and cricket.
He won his first golf game a week ago after picking up golf clubs the first time a month ago."
Spannenberg said he had expected problems earlier on when spectators made inflammatory comments while the third teams were playing.
"When a player was injured, they greeted it with great enthusiasm," said Spannenberg.
The main match was marked by inciting and threatening comments by the spectators.
"The Delicious players were urged to hurt their opponents."
'Field is for athletes, not criminals'
Spannenberg said Rawsonville took all the necessary measures to control the crowd and the abuse of liquor. Only match officials, players and reserves were allowed at the rugby field.
Mandla Yeki, a spokesperson for the Western Cape sports department, said: "We know it's difficult to enforce safety at rugby club matches. The field is there for athletes and not criminals."
The chair of the Delicious rugby club, Bennie Leenderts, was not prepared to comment on Sunday.
He said an official statement would be released on Wednesday.
- Die Burger
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