De Kock apologizes and will take knee in future matches

By GERALD IMRAY
AP Sports Writer

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African cricketer Quinton de Kock has apologized to teammates and supporters for refusing to play in a T20 World Cup game but said he felt his rights were “taken away” when players were told they must take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. De Kock also said he would take a knee ahead of future games. The wicketkeeper-batsman made himself unavailable for Tuesday’s game against West Indies after a directive from the country’s cricket board that morning ordered all its players take a knee before games. In a statement de Kock said he did not mean to offend anyone but “I felt like my rights were taken away when I was told what we had to do in the way that we were told.”