Intense political and commercial pressure was mounting against Peter de Villiers, coach of South Africa's national rugby team, the Springboks, after he supported a rugby player accused of murdering a metro policeman in Pretoria.
The Citizen newspaper in Johannesburg reported that both the sponsors Sasol (a petrotchemical giant) and ABSA (a major South African bank) were unhappy with the coach's comments. They were calling for a retraction or his dismissal.
The Springboks are the rugby Word Cup champions and their brand is estimated by South African expert Christopher Koller, group managing director of Interbrand Sampson, to be worth 500 million rands (68.5 million U.S. dollars).
Koller said the coach's remarks undoubtedly damaged the Springbok brand. He questioned the wisdom of allowing De Villiers to continue with media conferences, which frequently turn out to be controversial.
"The corporate reputation of the Springboks needs to be far better considered and managed. As ambassadors of the team (De Villiers) needs to realize how his comments could affect the brand," said Koller.
The Springbok brand should be managed like any company would its own brand, he said.
"To associate your brand with a murder accused is very dangerous. For Peter de Villiers to make such a statement is extremely short-sighted and the damage could be immense," said Koller.
The Citizen said senior South African politicians, whom it did not name, were calling for the coach to be removed.
Also on Friday the Young Communist League (YCL) in South Africa issued a statement in Johannesburg criticism coach de Villiers for his comment that the national rugby team was 100 percent behind murder accused Blue Bulls player Bees Roux.
"His insensitive comments are an embarrassment to the nation, particularly for someone who holds a national position," the YCL said in a statement to the South African Press Association (SAPA).
The YCL urged him to withdraw his statement and apologise to the bereaved family, who are mourning the loss of their loved one.
De Villiers made the comment before Roux was granted 100,000 rands (13,700 U.S. dollars) bail in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Aug. 30.
The coach said the team supported Roux not on the deed, but on the circumstances that led to the situation developing.
However, the YCL said that nothing could justify murdering someone. It called Roux an "ill-disciplined" and "intoxicated" rugby player.
Pretoia metro policemen Ntshumane Johannes Mogale was killed in Pretoria on Aug. 27, allegedly by Roux.
At Mogale's memorial service on Thursday, metro police regional director Moloko Racheku said that he had shuddered after hearing de Villiers comment.
The director said that the Springboks obviously knew something about the incident that the rest of the public did not.
The Times newspaper in Johannesburg reported that De Villiers could face a disciplinary hearing with the South African Rugby Union for his comment, and other comments made in the past.
The Springboks face Australia in Bloemfontein on Saturday. Springbok captain John Smit declined to comment on the matter.
"Please guys, let's stick to the rugby," he said when asked at a Friday news conference.