SAFA denies racism, sexism allegations against coach Hugo Broos, blames misinterpretation and language barrier
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has issued a strong defence of head coach Hugo Broos, dismissing media claims labelling him as racist and sexist.
The allegations stemmed from remarks made during a recent press conference, where Broos criticised a senior player’s conduct and the premature overseas transfer push by the player’s agent.
Hugo Broos slammed Mbekezeli Mbokazi for arriving late to the Bafana Bafana camp and called his conduct unprofessional. He also controversially said he would “have a talk with him and he’ll come out of my room as a white guy,” a remark that sparked accusations of racially coded language and led to criticism from political groups and complaints to the Human Rights Commission.
SAFA attributed the backlash to a “misinterpretation” and language barriers, stressing that Broos’s comments were purely football-related and aimed at protecting player welfare.
The association highlighted Broos’s transformational impact and unity within the squad, affirming full support as Bafana Bafana prepare for the upcoming AFCON tournament..