Share

Lions: We will get to bottom of racist incident

Johannesburg - The Lions have responded to a video that is being circulated of an alleged racist incident that took place at Ellis Park on Saturday.  

According to the TimesLive website, a scuffle broke out between a white man and a black woman after the man had allegedly placed his hands on her. 

This followed the Currie Cup clash between the Golden Lions and Sharks.

The website posted a video of the incident, and during the scuffle racist comments can be clearly heard. 

Now, the Lions have released a statement in which they condemn any racist activity at the stadium, while they also ensure that they are investigating the incident.

Full Lions statement:

"Ellis Park Stadium (Pty) Ltd has been made aware of a possible case of racial abuse that happened after the Currie Cup match between the Xerox Golden Lions and the Cell C Sharks at Emirates Airline Park (EAP) on Saturday evening. 

The incident in question was never reported according to our Venue Operations Centre (VOC) records and logbook - as per our stadium standard procedures - but video footage is being studied at the moment to get to the bottom of the unfortunate incident. All incidents must be reported to the VOC or nearest event security staff. 

Ellis Park Stadium will at all times ensure the safety of all its visitors. 

The emergency telephone numbers and SMS line are frequently displayed on the big screens in the stadium for spectators to report such unacceptable behaviour. 

The Lions Rugby Company and Ellis Park Stadium (Pty) Ltd has a no-tolerance attitude toward all aspects of hatred of which racism is one of the biggest. 

The incident is being investigated and everything is being done to ensure that the culprits are brought to justice. 

The Stadium shall be entitled to refuse admission or readmission to, or to eject from the stadium or its grounds, any person who does not comply with the following rules:

No rude, racist or insulting behaviour

No Alcohol

No persons under the influence of alcohol

No swearing or rude language

No fighting or throwing objects

No behavior of actions that are deemed to infringe on any other persons comfort, enjoyment or safety

All spectators in the stand will be under constant CCTV surveillance

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1116 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1281 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 1975 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE