Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has responded to Chippa United‘s Kwanele Kopo‘s racial abuse complaint. The controversy happened on Saturday after the Sea Robbers beat the Chilly Boys 3-1 in the Nedbank Cup semifinals. The goals came from Kabelo Dlamini (x2), Tapelo Xoki and Elmo Kambindu for Chippa.
RACIAL COMPLAINT
“Coach Mandla [Ncikazi, Orlalndo Pirates assistant coach] I want to compiment him,” Chippa’s coach Kopo said to SuperSport TV.
“When everybody else was abusing us, he was the one calm person who came to apologise. Big up to coach Mandla for that. Even though the fourth official could hear a coach [from Orlando Pirates] using abusive language against us, they just kept quiet.
“But it’s ok, we move on, we are all coaches. We know when people are under pressure. But we don’t want to say certain things…it’s not nice. Some of us grew up in a difficult time in South Africa, and when you consistently use a certain language towards us, it drives us up. So that’s the disappointing part for me. That’s what makes us angry. Even for the referees, when people of a certain colour or language use abusive language, it seems like it is acceptable in South Africa but I think we need to overcome that,” Kopo added with his complaint towards the unnamed Orlando Pirates coach.
Note: Riveiro’s Spanish assistant Sergio Almenara is one of the possible persons of a ‘certain colour or language’ that Kopo is referring to, as is the fitness trainer Helmi Gueldich from Tunisia.
ORLANDO PIRATES COACH JOSE RIVEIRO RESPONDS TO RACIAL ABUSE CLAIM
Speaking after the game, Chippa’s coach Kopo revealed an abuse complaint from the bench of the Soweto giants.
Orlando Pirates coach Riveiro has responded to say: “There were moments of tensions between the benches because I was not comfortable with the situation inside the field with some behaviours and somethings that were happening during the game which for me are not related with football at all,” the Spaniard said via FARPost.
“And one of the things that belongs to my role is to try to protect my players and defend my players.
“I’m a quiet person, peaceful, extremely peaceful, but there are moments that you need to stand up and ask some questions about what’s going on, that’s all,” the Orlando Pirates mentor added
“Then he [Kopo] can give you the description of…I’m ready to hear the words that he said are abusive or not abusive.
“I feel nothing happened there out of the limit of competition, and the swearing came from every angle, not only from our bench.
“Things that happen during the game when the emotions are high and the motivation [was] so high before the match and now the things are not going the way you wanted or the way you were dreaming yesterday when you went to sleep.
“And suddenly you find the reality which is different, it’s difficult to control yourself, but I think the Orlando Pirates bench was behaving in a correct way, in a professional way and especially defending and protecting our players, which is our obligation,” the Orlando Pirates tactician concluded.