Noakes breaks down during hearing

A tearful Professor Tim Noakes described the cost to himself and his family of the HPCSA disciplinary hearing.

Cape Town - Sports scientist Professor Tim Noakes broke down in tears as he described the cost to himself and his family of the Health Professions Council of SA disciplinary hearing.

The hearing is looking into his professional conduct in advising a breastfeeding mother on Twitter. A complaint about this tweet was made to the HPCSA by the then-president of the Association of Dietetics SA, Claire Julsing-Strydom.

Noakes said that when he first saw the complaint he thought it was irrational and that there was no evidence for the complaint.

He repsonded with a two-page letter which contained some evidence but which he thought would satisfy an objective committee that this was just a storm in a teacup.

He was shocked when he realised there was a charge against him, and if he had access to the evidence against him he would have prepared the kind of response that was now being presented at the hearing.

“I would have done anything in my power to stop this,” he said, starting to weep as he spoke of the cost to himself and his family.

*This report will be updated.

IOL