It is with great sadness we read of Brydan Klein’s unacceptable alleged comments toward South African player Raven Klaasen, as there is no place for such language in every day life let alone in a sporting contest.
The derogatory ‘K’ word is one that is filled with hatred and base in its truest form. It is a word that along with apartheid should be laid to rest and never used. One has to wonder where an Australian born 19 year old would hear such a word in order to use it in the manner that he did?
Well done Tennis Australia for handing out the punishment that they did, and well done the CEO of Tennis West Dean Williams, for backing that decision and stating publicly “Tennis Australia is fed up. They are pouring a lot of money into these kids, hundreds of thousands of dollars, people around Australia are also fed up with this sort of behaviour and Tennis Australia has now thrown the book at him to show young kids (that) it’s not acceptable.”
It is good that he is attending a racial sensitivity course as long as this is not tokenism.
Hopefully he serves the full term of his ban and it is not cut short and that he takes time to reflect on his unacceptable derogatory racist behaviour, and the impression it gives the world of Brydan Klein.
