Durban, Dec 07: After a recent spate of controversies, South African cricket was left to counter another when United Cricket Board CEO Gerald Majola was slapped with a defamation suit. Majola, the first black supremo of South African cricket, is reported to have "bad mouthed" a fellow council member and president of the Northern Cricket Union Brandon Foot during a meeting in Johannesburg last week.
According to newspaper reports today, Majola launched a "verbal assault" against foot for allegedly leaking documents to the media relating to appointment of South Africa's new manager of the national cricket team.
The documents had information about five people interviewed to succeed Goolam Rajah as the manager. The job eventually went to Tim Southey.
The verbal assault is reported to have lasted for ten to fifteen minutes. Foot strongly objected to Majola's behaviour and called on the cricket CEO to apologise.
When the apology was not forthcoming, foot filed a defamation suit.
When contacted by the media, foot declined to divulge details, saying the rules of the united cricket board of South Africa prohibit council members from talking to the press.
Majola, on his part, said he had nothing to apologise for. "No. What for?" he retorted. Bureau Report