Ard: No payment for anthem

Cape Town - Ard Matthews has maintained that he was in fact over-prepared when he bungled the national anthem on TV, for which he was not paid.

"I don't know if I'd be as angry (as some people have been)," he told Channel24, "but I get why people are so upset."

Asked whether he thought it was because he was under-prepared he said: "In fact I think I was over-prepared. It was just that the moment was so big, it all got jumbled up in my head and (...) ja, all I can say is I'm profusely sorry for what happened. This whole thing just became one big nightmare." 

Not very pleased

The response in the television studio where Matthews was performing was less than welcoming. "The TV team were fine and quite comforting after it happened, but the Supersport people and the rugby bosses were not very pleased," said Matthews.

"But I've since spoken to all the bosses and they've made it clear that while they were initially angry, they understand that it was purely a human thing, and they support me in that regard."

The performance was not a paid performance, "but I would not have accepted payment for this if it had been offered", said Matthews.

"I think the only thing I can do is try somehow to take this and try to somehow turn it into a positive. Hopefully I can use this to help people come to grips with this beautiful anthem in some way."

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