EP president banned for 2 years after labelling SA Rugby 'racist'

SA Rugby confirmed on Thursday they had suspended Eastern Province Rugby Union president Maasdorp Cannon.

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In a statement released to the media, the national governing body said Cannon could not hold any position or participate in any rugby structures under the auspices of SA Rugby for the next two years.

Cannon was found guilty of contravening the national body's Constitution and Code of Conduct after charges were laid against him following his explosive comments at former prop Godfrey Thorne's memorial service in 2022.

Cannon told mourners during his eulogy that SARU was a "racist establishment", the Springbok emblem was "racist", and SARU president Mark Alexander and his deputy, Francois Davids, were "sell-outs".

"Mr Cannon appeared before an independent judicial committee over the course of 14 months on six charges relating to a speech he made in February 2022, during which he variously described SARU as being a racist organisation; its leadership as 'selling-out' SARU; and that the Springbok was a racist emblem. The comments were subsequently published in social media and mainstream media," part of the SA Rugby statement read.

"The three-person Judicial Committee ruled that Mr Cannon had clearly contravened the SARU Constitution and the SARU Code of Conduct with the intent to bring SARU into disrepute and was found guilty on those charges.

"Mr Cannon has 15 days in which to appeal the sentence, should he wish," the statement ended.