Johannesburg - Sports broadcaster SuperSport has lost another presenter, with Peter Davies the second Rugby World Cup anchor in as many months to be taken off air, following an undisclosed criminal case.
SuperSport issued a statement on Wednesday evening, stating that Davies would not be on air pending the conclusion of the criminal case, having reportedly appeared in Johannesburg's Magistrates Court earlier in the day.
Davies was supposed to host the 'Kia Ora New Zealand' on Wednesday evening, a rugby programme based on the current World Cup taking place in New Zealand, but after turning up for work was deemed not in "good shape" to present.
"It was brought to SuperSport's attention this evening (Wednesday) that presenter Peter Davies appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court earlier today (Wednesday) on criminal charges not related to his involvement with SuperSport," read the statement from the satellite station.
"By subsequent mutual agreement, he has been taken off air pending the outcome of the case."
When contacted, SuperSport's communications manager Clinton van der Berg confirmed the news about Davies even though he said that there was still no clarity on what Davies' criminal case was about.
"It is difficult to explain because we also heard news of his case second hand," said Van der Berg.
"He (Davies) came to work and said that he'd been to court, and then he left.
"We agreed that he wasn't in good shape to present the show later on in the evening."
Davies is an acclaimed former print journalist, ESPN anchor and presented rugby, cricket and soccer on SuperSport.
A few days prior to the kicking off of the World Cup, key anchor Darren Scott was forced to resign from his radio breakfast show and initially given time off from his SuperSport duties, this following a racial slur hurled at a black radio colleague.
SuperSport subsequently parted ways with Scott.