‘My Family Has Been Affected’ - South Africa Coach ‘Deeply Hurt’ as He Apologises Amid Racism Accusations

South Africa coach Hugo Broos has been forced to apologise over his comments against defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi which had dragged him into a racism and sexism row.

Broos had a stinging criticism of Mbokazi when he arrived to camp late for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations preparations while he also hit out at the player’s agent for orchestrating a transfer to the MLS, which the veteran coach does not feel was the right move.

His choice of words like when he said: “I will have a chat with him after training. And I can assure you, he’s a black guy, but he will come out of my room as a white guy,” landed him in trouble with a political party in South Africa filing a complaint at the Human Rights Commission, accusing the Belgian coach of racism.

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That development has left Broos in a spot of bother and he opened up on its impact on him and his family while apologising for his choice of words.

“I am deeply hurt by what has happened in recent days,” Broos said at the team’s AFCON camp in Pretoria on Monday.

“The worst part of it is that my family – my wife, my children and grandchildren – have also suffered. I have played with people of colour and coached and worked with them in Algeria and Cameroon and now in South Africa for four years.

“You can ask any of them what kind of man I am. Maybe some will say I am a bad coach, and others maybe a good coach. Maybe some will call me stubborn. But no one will call me a racist.

“I agree my choice of words was not right and I want to apologise. But I never meant to make racists or sexist remarks. I am neither a racist nor a sexist.”

The storm has taken the spotlight away from Bafana Bafana’s AFCON preparations as they tune up for the continental tournament where they are hoping to improve on their third-place finish of 2023.

South Africa will begin their AFCON campaign against Angola on Monday, December 22 before facing Egypt on Boxing Day and conclude group stage action with a clash against Zimbabwe on December 29.