THE Kagiso Rabada drug ban is now a thing of the past.
The fast bowler apologised to the public in his statement, followed all the rules set out by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sports (SAIDS) in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and served his one-month suspension in April.
As a result, all-format coach Shukri Conrad and Test captain Temba Bavuma included the 29-year-old in the Proteas squad for next month’s World Test Championship final against Australia at the home of cricket.
However, what stings the most to some around the country, and certainly to former Australian captain Tim Paine and perhaps to the Australian media, is how the fast bowler’s situation was not publicised on April 1st or soon after, when the player received the positive results from SAIDS.
To them, Paine and the Australian media, it seemed that South Africa was doing their utmost best to protect their golden boy, and that he got away with a light punishment.
However, according to Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) head of national teams, Enoch Nkwe, there was a method to how the situation was handled.
Nkwe emphasised that there was a process set up by SAIDS that needed to be followed.
Furthermore, the 42-year-old highlighted that it was not CSA’s responsibility to go public with the information, and that they acted in good faith to SAIDS.
“It was important for us to respect the process, and it wasn’t our responsibility. We needed to respect SAIDS to drive the process and ensure that everything is completed,” said Nkwe.
“Once all of that is done, they all then come up with a statement together with KG, like he did, and from the organisation’s point of view, then we can only respond to that.
“It is the same with WADA, it’s a process that has been there for many years, and we needed to respect that.
“We couldn’t intervene and try and be proactive. It is one of those things that SAIDS or whoever the governing body is, they embark on that process and unless an individual feels they want to come out straight away.
“It was a private matter. We needed to respect that, and it unfolded, and when it was time for the information to be shared, it was shared by SAIDS.”
While the whole world judged Rabada when the news broke, Nkwe reiterated that they were most concerned about the well-being of the player.
“At the end of the day, he’s human. We needed to put the whole cricketing element outside of the situation, and also not to sort of cloud him, because everyone will try and reach out to him,” said Nkwe.
“We also needed to give him the space and allow also the process to take place. He has come out and apologised, and we completely understand that and forgive him.
“For us, the most important thing became, how is KG the human before the cricketer? That’s what we needed to look at.”
