Cape Town - Retired South African referee Jonathan Kaplan has welcomed SARU’s decision to terminate the employment of its general manager of referees, Andre Watson.
READ: SARU gives Andre Watson the boot
READ: Watson responds to SARU sacking
Watson was given the boot last week following an independent investigation into grievances that had been lodged against the long-serving former Test referee.
Kaplan commented on SARU’s decision via his website, www.ratetheref.co.za.
Kaplan made it clear that he didn't wish to celebrate the demise of another person, but nevertheless welcomed the ruling.
Kaplan wrote: “This week signalled the end of the road for Andre Watson as manager of SA Referees. There have been rumblings of discontent for some time now and I for one believe that it’s been long overdue (I mentioned a few instances of the perpetual friction that I endured with him as a colleague in my best-selling book ‘Call it like it is’).
“Having said that, I won’t be handing out sweets to those celebrating someone else's demise as I don’t think it’s nice when someone loses their job in such an ignominious manner. There will be a fair amount of factional discord in the organisation, so it will take some skill to sort this out. Perhaps a fresh start is all that’s needed…”