Sex video: Watsons react
2008-09-09 22:16
Stephen Nell
Cape Town - The Watson family have reacted with contempt to a report that Luke Watson is the player supposedly blackmailing Springbok coach Peter de Villiers with an alleged sex video.
"I laughed when I heard it. We reject it with contempt, but it is what you can expect from certain media," Luke's father, Cheeky, said on Tuesday about a report in a tabloid newspaper.
He added that his son would not speak about the matter and took a side swipe at the media for their interest in the subject following a weekend report that De Villiers was being blackmailed with a "sex video".
The South African Rugby Union (Saru) denied as early as Saturday that any blackmail is involved. What has been mentioned is that while an employee did approach De Villiers with information last month, an investigation could turn up no facts whatsoever to confirm that information.
Chris Hewitt, who was appointed as the Springboks' media relations officer earlier this year and replaced in the Bok management in the course of the international rugby season, has to appear before a disciplinary hearing soon.
He was suspended this week until such time as the hearing is completed, and has not responded to messages from Die Burger in the past two days.
In the firing line
However, Cheeky Watson believes the witch-hunt is targeting the wrong person. "The person who went to the media with this thing is actually the one with the agenda, and must be held accountable," Watson said.
"It's disappointing that a young man like Chris should be in the firing line, because if he heard about something like this, he did the right thing by conveying the information to his superiors.
"I don't know what has been said among the parties involved, but the correct procedure has been followed."
SA Rugby's head of communications, Andy Colquhoun, was irked on Tuesday by the report naming him as the person who identified Watson as the relevant player in the initial report about the blackmailing.
"It's ridiculous. I never said it. I'm very angry about it," Colquhoun said. "There is no sex video, so how can there be blackmail?"
Cheeky Watson believes the media are capitalising on the sensation value of the story. "I find it shocking that large newspapers are carrying gossip on their front pages. It shows you what the standard of the media in South Africa is," said Watson.
"I was strongly in favour of Peter's appointment as Springbok coach. He's doing a good job in very difficult circumstances. I'm still right behind him."
It is believed that Hewitt's disciplinary hearing will take place either late next week, or the week after.