DLAMINI SUFFERS BROKEN ARM AT HANDS OF SANPARKS OFFICIAL
NTT Pro Cycling can confirm that rider Nicolas Dlamini sustained a broken arm after being stopped by SANParks officials in the Silvermine section of Table Mountain National Park on Friday.
Following the incident, which was caught on film by a fellow cyclist, Nicholas was taken to False Bay Hospital where x-rays were carried out and was confirmed that he suffered a fracture of his left humerus. He has since been transferred to another local hospital where further specialist consultation, together with our team’s medical department, will decide on the next course of action to treat the injury.
NTT Pro Cycling also notes the release of a statement of the incident by SANParks. The video taken by the eyewitness clearly outlines the course of events which saw Nicholas sustain this injury.
This is a major setback for the Capetonian who had been out on a training ride ahead of a hugely promising 2020 season. The 24-year-old had just completed a very promising 2019 which included his first Grand Tour, the Vuelta a Espana, and he was looking at following that up with further participation in some of the sport’s biggest races in 2020.
He also recently was part of a delegation that travelled to Tokyo and spent some time on the Olympic Road Race course in the hopes of realising a dream and being selected for Team South Africa at the Games.
NTT Pro Cycling would like to be clear that we fully condemn violence in any form and are all highly distressed to see our teammate treated in this manner.
As such, and following the release of the video, NTT Pro Cycling calls upon SANParks to urgently account for the following:
- The level and scale of physicality employed by the officials in subduing Nicholas, which saw him fracture his arm. Despite being visibly distressed after being pulled off his bicycle at high speed, which saw him crash, there can be no justification for the level of violence meted out to him.
- The subsequent release of this video on social media has gathered huge momentum, around the world. As one of South Africa’s premier tourist attractions what type of message does this send to both local and foreign visitors who want to visit it?
- Nicholas has an extensive race programme for 2020 already in place. This unnecessary injury will now have a serious effect on that, as well as his chances of racing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
We also call on SANParks to:
- Implement immediate disciplinary procedures against the officials involved.
- A full public apology to both Nicholas, as well as the eyewitness, who was clearly intimidated by the officials while filming this incident.
- Following the enormous response to this incident, it’s clear that SANParks need to engage with the greater cycling community in Cape Town to forge a positive relationship for the future. We look forward to seeing them take the lead in this respect.
Douglas Ryder – Team Principal
I was both devastated and appalled to see the video of Nicholas on social media. To watch a young man who I know so well in such unnecessary distress made me feel sick, to be honest. The way in which he was treated is simply not acceptable.
About NTT Pro Cycling
Founded in 2007, NTT Pro Cycling (formerly Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a WorldTour license, in 2016. With the support of our headline sponsor and technology innovation partner, NTT, we are the most purpose-driven, performance-led, and technology-enabled team in pro cycling today.
Our ambition is to continue to race at the highest levels in world cycling, to develop riders to realise their full potential and to inspire and motivate people across the African continent to ride bicycles.
We have bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy.
We also ride to raise awareness for Qhubeka, a global charity operating in South Africa, through our #BicyclesChangeLives campaign.
The hands on the back of the team race jersey are a reminder that every Qhubeka bicycle is a helping hand up to a beneficiary, which are provided through Qhubeka's learn-to-earn and work-to-earn programmes
About Qhubeka
Qhubeka is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.
A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go.
About NTT Ltd.
NTT Ltd. is a global technology services company bringing together the expertise of leaders in the field, including NTT Communications, Dimension Data and NTT Security. We partner with organizations around the world to shape and achieve outcomes through intelligent technology solutions. For us, intelligent means data driven, connected, digital and secure. As a global ICT provider, we employ more than 40,000 people in a diverse and dynamic workplace and deliver services in over 200 countries and regions. Together we enable the connected future.
Visit us at our new website hello.global.ntt
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