Quinton De Kock apologized Thursday to teammates and supporters for refusing to play in a T20 World Cup game, but said he felt his rights were 'taken away' when players were told they must take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
South Africa's Quinton de Kock walks from the field after he was dismissed during the Cricket Twenty20 World Cup match between South Africa and Australia in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Oct. 23, 2021. De Kock apologized Thursday to teammates and supporters for refusing to play in a T20 World Cup game, but said he felt his rights were "taken away" when players were told they must take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
"I did not, in any way, mean to disrespect anyone by not playing against West Indies, especially the West Indian team themselves," de Kock said. "Maybe some people don't understand that we were just hit with this on Tuesday morning, on the way to a game.
De Kock denied accusations in the aftermath of Tuesday's controversy that he was racist, explaining "for those who don't know" that he comes from a mixed-race family. His step mother is Black and his half-sisters are mixed-race.