Proteas' Quinton De Kock Withdraws from Squad over Refusal to 'Take the Knee' in the Fight Against Racism

• Batsman Quinton de Kock has withdrawn from the Proteas in the ICC T20 World Cup due to some "personal reasons"
• De Kock has refused to take the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter initiative in the world of sports and fight against racism
• Cricket South Africa says that they will take action once they decide what the "next steps" will be in dealing with the matter

Quinton de Kock opted out of South Africa's T20 World Cup match against the West Indies on Tuesday due to "personal reasons," as the country's cricket board ordered players to take the knee.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, said the wicketkeeper-batsman, who is a former national captain, had withdrawn from their crucial Super 12 match in Dubai due to "personal reasons."

The decision drew criticism because De Kock had previously refused to participate in the anti-racism gesture that has become a standard feature of most sporting events according to a report by eNCA.

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According to IOL Sport, De Kock is upset that the CSA Board imposed their directive on the Proteas Men's National Team. He has since decided to withdraw from the squad, citing "personal reasons".

The directive was issued by the CSA Board in response to concerns that the various postures taken by team members in support of the Black Lives Matter initiative in previous matches created an unintended perception of disparity or lack of support for the initiative.

In a press release, CSA stated that they note what De Kock has decided and they will be taking the next steps once they have been decided.

"The Board will await a further report from team management before deciding on the next steps. All players are expected to follow this directive for the remaining games of the World Cup," reads the statement.

"CSA thanks all other Proteas players for agreeing to unite and make such an important public stand against racism."

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Here are some reactions from Briefly News readers:

Itireleng Lesufi said:

"He has his reasons, but he must remember he is playing cricket which is a team sport, so his reasons should not affect what the team is trying to achieve. So he shouldn't complain the next time when he is not selected."

Patson Shoko commented:

"Racist now because it's Quinton, when Wilfred Zaha refused to take a knee everyone supports him. Sometimes it's not about colour but your beliefs."

Baile Moholo said:

"I thought we're living in a democratic country... Keep it to yourself, Quinton. He doesn't owe it to anyone else."

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Briefly News previously reported that many on social media have ignored Proteas coach Mark Boucher's apologies to the nation for his role in alleged racial slurs directed at former black colleagues in the national side and have demanded his dismissal.

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Boucher made headlines last month when former teammate Paul Adams accused him of being one of the white players who called him "brown s**t" during the CSA's transformation hearings.

Boucher said that Adams was called "brown s**t" in a Monday apology, but denied coining the term. He requested the opportunity to speak with former players about the racism claims one-on-one because the racist and exclusionary testimonies have tarnished his name.