Former Springbok Adriaan Richter’s financial struggles: Race is not a factor
Former Springbok Adriaan Richter solds 1995 Rugby World Cup memorabilia amid South Africa’s 31.9% unemployment rate, highlighting broader economic struggles rather than race. Picture: Paul Seiser, Action Photographics
Image: Paul Seiser
There was shock and sympathy for Adriaan Richter over the weekend when it emerged he had to sell some of his Springbok memorabilia from the 1995 Rugby World Cup, in order to pay his bills.
It’s a sad situation for the 59-year-old to be in, but to frame it as being because he’s white and therefore the main reason why he can’t find work is misrepresenting the situation.
While it may certainly be true that his age is not on his side, the fact that he’s white doesn’t mean it’s the reason either.
Richter’s situation is indicative of a far greater problem in South Africa that is certainly not dictated by race, and that is the unemployment rate in the country.
South Africa’s 31.9% Unemployment Rate in 2025: Former Rugby Player Richter Sells World Cup Medals Amid Job Struggles
The unemployment rate is said to be 31.9% in South Africa in the third quarter of 2025.
“These days, everything is race-oriented, and I just couldn’t get contracts anymore,” he said. “You work for months and then you don’t get paid. What do you do then?” Richter told Rapport.
The former loose forward sold his World Cup winner’s medal and his miniature World Cup trophy for sums of R62,500 and R34,000 respectively last week.
“I definitely didn’t sell it because I wanted to. It’s just because we live in South Africa and I can’t find work. It’s not nice.
“I have children who would love to have it, but in the end we live in a completely different country. At my age, I can’t find work either. Nobody wants to hire me. It’s absolutely dire.”
Though Richter played rugby provincially from 1988 to 1998, he did not play for South Africa after the Rugby World Cup in 1995.
In fact, rugby only turned professional after the 95 event, and it meant Richter would never have received a national professional contract.
The only real money he would have therefore earned from the game would have been from the Bulls in the last three years of his career.
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