He insults a referee on the internet in the middle of the World Cup, the fine is historic

If the bad idea of ​​criticizing a referee on social networks comes to you mind, think a little. You risk paying dearly for it…

Sport is particularly looked at. and how, and major events are no exception, quite the contrary. With ever-increasing media and financial stakes, every decision made by referees, in any sport, is the subject of debate and debate. incessant and sometimes violent challenges. We talk a lot about protests from athletes themselves, as we see every week in Ligue 1 where there is a lot of talk. There are many debates about arbitration. The behavior of supporters is also very regularly questioned. But we often forget the submerged side of the iceberg: the flood of online comments on arbitration services which sometimes goes far, and even too far for some. ;

For the first time in the history of a sport, an Internet user was recently attacked. condemned for the cyberharassment of an arbitrator by the courts. A turning point in the fight for the protection of the refereeing body and against online harassment. As part of the referee protection program set up by rugby's governing bodies, World Rugby, an individual was é identified after numerous hateful comments directed against a video referee officiating during the Rugby World Cup in France, last September and October.

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If he is not the victim of this affair, the English referee Wayne Barnes retired after the World Cup in France, citing threats that he and his family had received. © Christophe Ena/AP/SIPA (published on 04/29/2024)

After identifying it and noticed; that the individual was Australian, World Rugby passed the information collected to Australia. the country's justice system, which opened an investigation. The latter came to a successful conclusion. a trial, & Sydney, and the defendant admitted all the facts that were committed against him. reproached, & know how to have harassed on the social network Facebook a TMO arbitrator (video arbitration) as well as his partner, in r  action à a match of the Australian rugby team. He was é condemned by the court &agrav; a fine of 1,000 Australian dollars, as well as an "obligation of good conduct".

For World Rugby, this decision is historic,  and will certainly be followed by other judgments going in the same direction. In its press release, the international body in fact explained: that five other investigations were underway in different jurisdictions. Alan Gilpin, World Rugby's chief executive, said: “Such behavior is completely unacceptable, and the sport and the authorities are determined to do so.” take action." He also announces the extension and development of the system to protect referees against online hatred at the men's and women's Six Nations tournament.