Former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith exonerated of racism allegations

JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa announced on Sunday night that former South African captain and director of cricket Graeme Smith has been cleared of racism accusations.

There was no evidence to substantiate provisional judgments that Smith had demonstrated racial bias on three occasions, according to two independent arbitrators.

"Former Cricket South Africa (CSA) Director of Cricket, Graeme Smith, has been cleared by two independent arbitrators of racism allegations against him, which emanated from CSA’s Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) process, " a CSA statement read.

"CSA duly followed these recommendations by initiating an arbitration process regarding Mr. Smith before two independent and well-respected advocates, Adv Ngwako Maenetje SC and Adv Michael Bishop.

"A full arbitration process took place, during which both CSA and Mr. Smith were legally represented. Witnesses were called and cross-examined by both sides, and the findings and evidence from the SJN process were placed before the arbitrators," it added.

Smith was one of the numerous persons mentioned in a report by Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, who was chosen by the CSA as an ombudsman in last year's "Social Justice and Nation Building" proceedings.

Ntsebeza's conclusions were just "tentative" and he advised that official procedures be started