Gibbs has no regrets for calling Pak fans "bunch of animals"

Thu, Nov 04 10 12:18 PM

Johannesburg, Nov 4 (PTI) Out-of-favour veteran South Africa opener Herschelle Gibbs has no regrets about the "bunch of animals" remark directed towards the Pakistani fans during a Test at Centurion in 2007 but said by no means he was a racist. In his recently published controversial autobiography, ''To The Point'', Gibbs wrote that the entire South African team was "irritated" by the unruly behaviour of the Pakistani supporters during that match. "I think it was a tactic aimed at getting me out of the team rather than them being mortally offended by the ''racial'' slur. It was a gambit to disrupt the Proteas more than anything else," he wrote. "They made a huge noise and even kicked Rashard, my son, and his mom, Liesl, out of their seats when they took over the area next to the pitch entrance that leads up to the changing room. "All of us Proteas were getting pretty irritated and unfortunately the stump microphones picked up our displeasure. I was standing at gully, Graeme Smith was at slip and we were both looking at these morons. We agreed that a little verbal retaliation as in order. ''Stop acting like a bunch of fucking animals!'' I said. I can''t remember what Graeme said," the 36-year-old right-handed batsman wrote. "We all had something to say about those supporters on the day, but after listening to the recording, it was decided that mine was the one voice that they could identify. I listened to the recording later, at the hearing, and you could hear Graeme''s voice loud and clear. He still laughs about how he got away without being charged to this day. I guess I had to take one for the team," he added. Gibbs was initially banned for two Test matches for the offensive language but was later changed to a Test, one T20 and an ODI game. Still furious about the allegations of being a racist, Gibbs maintained that his remarks were not intentional. "You could call me many, many things, but a racist was a bit of a stretch, to say the least. Especially concerning Muslims. I''m coloured, for goodness'' sake. I''ve got four Muslim aunts and about 10 Muslim cousins. How could I be racist? My damn family is Muslim," he wrote in the book. PTI FH SSC

Source: Published>