#rugbyvalues

[twitchy]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... criticism/


Wayne Barnes says his family were threatened after Rassie Erasmus criticism

The 43-year-old has returned to officiating in the Premiership and the Champions Cup, but contemplated hanging up his whistle.

Speaking publicly about the ordeal for the first time in an interview with The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, Barnes revealed that his wife, Polly, was threatened with “sexual violence”.

“Criticism on social media quickly becomes abuse,” Barnes said. “That is the world we live in. That is social media. But I make the decision to be a referee, make the decision to be on social media. Polly, my wife, doesn’t make the decision to be a referee.

“On the Saturday night, there started to be some direct abuse at Polly. Then, the following two or three days, there was direct abuse to Polly, threats of sexual violence and threats against the kids.

[Sandydragon]

Sadly social media allows idiots to communicate with you directly. I think Barnes has been very gracious to Erasmus, I have no doubt that the latter's constant harping on about referees is both swaying refereeing opinion and also emboldening some members of the public to throw about abuse.

This isn't acceptable and there is no place for it in rugby.

Noting that Erasmus has been punished for his latest transgression, I would hope that any further infringements result in a lengthy ban away from the game. He is doing more harm than Richards did with the whole floodgate scandal.

[Puja]

Sadly social media allows idiots to communicate with you directly. I think Barnes has been very gracious to Erasmus, I have no doubt that the latter's constant harping on about referees is both swaying refereeing opinion and also emboldening some members of the public to throw about abuse.

This isn't acceptable and there is no place for it in rugby.

Noting that Erasmus has been punished for his latest transgression, I would hope that any further infringements result in a lengthy ban away from the game. He is doing more harm than Richards did with the whole floodgate scandal.

Agreed. Erasmus's whining has officially legitimised the conspiracy narrative that South Africa are uniquely discriminated against and have a continual bias against them. It's no wonder that fans feel emboldened to attack people that they believe are personally and deliberately acting against their team. It stops being "refs make mistakes" and starts becoming an active campaign which needs fighting against.

Puja

[16th man]

Sadly social media allows idiots to communicate with you directly. I think Barnes has been very gracious to Erasmus, I have no doubt that the latter's constant harping on about referees is both swaying refereeing opinion and also emboldening some members of the public to throw about abuse.

This isn't acceptable and there is no place for it in rugby.

Noting that Erasmus has been punished for his latest transgression, I would hope that any further infringements result in a lengthy ban away from the game. He is doing more harm than Richards did with the whole floodgate scandal.

Agreed. Erasmus's whining has officially legitimised the conspiracy narrative that South Africa are uniquely discriminated against and have a continual bias against them. It's no wonder that fans feel emboldened to attack people that they believe are personally and deliberately acting against their team. It stops being "refs make mistakes" and starts becoming an active campaign which needs fighting against.

Puja

Made all the worse by the fact that the "double movement" try they're all abusing him about is in fact a spectacularly good bit of refereeing.