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Cricket South Africa (CSA) has finally cleared it's national coach Mark Boucher of all the gross misconduct, including racism, less than a week before he was to defend himself in a disciplinary hearing.
Mark Boucher was charged with "gross misconduct" by CSA over allegations of racism by former teammate Paul Adams. Boucher was accused of racism by Adams during the last year's Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) hearings.
However, CSA said none of the charges were "sustainable" after Adams and former Proteas assistant coach Enoch Nkwe decided not to testify at next week's hearings.
The recent ruling in the Graeme Smith arbitration also fortified the conclusion that the charges against Boucher would be dismissed.
"The allegations of racism which were levelled against me were unjustified and have caused me considerable hurt and anguish," Boucher said in a statement.
"The last few months have been extremely difficult to endure for me and my family. I am glad that the process has finally come to an end and that CSA has accepted that the charges against me are unsustainable.
"I consider that the matter is now finalised and closed and I do not intend making further statements on this matter. I look forward to continuing to focus on my job and to taking the Proteas men's team to even greater heights," Boucher added.
During the SJN process, Mr Boucher formally apologised to Mr Adams. After the SJN process, Mr Adams indicated to CSA’s lawyers that he accepts this apology.
CSA’s lawyers engaged with various other potential witnesses over the last month and concluded that none of the three charges were sustainable.
The very recent ruling by Advocates Hamilton Maenetje SC and Michael Bishop in the Graeme Smith arbitration fortified the conclusion that the charges against Mr Boucher would be dismissed.
One of the best international wicketkeepers of his time, Boucher was handed a seven-page charge sheet in January by CSA, which accused him of gross misconduct and bringing the sport's apex body into disrepute through historical and current handling of racial issues.
It was after CSA had received a report from the independent Social Justice & Nation-Building (SJN) in December last year, which made some "tentative findings" against Boucher.
