Sapolu to quit rugby
16 Oct 2011
Samoa centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu has responded to the outcome of his disciplinary hearing by saying that he doesn’t want to play rugby any longer.
The Sunday Star Times reported that Sapolu was sanctioned for criticising the International Rugby Board. Following the outcome of Saturday’s hearing, Sapolu tweeted: ‘I do not want to play rugby anymore. One thing is for sure, my children definitely wont be.’
The IRB agreed to suspend Sapolu’s six-month ban providing that he kept his emotions and opinions in check over the next two years. Rugby’s ruling body also demanded that he attend a refereeing course, do 100 hours of community service and apologise to referee Nigel Owens who he accused of being racist and biased following the Pool D clash between Samoa and South Africa.
Given Sapolu’s most recent tweet about quitting rugby, it’s unlikely that he will meet these demands.
On Saturday, independent Judicial Officer Judge Jeff Blackett (England) heard detailed evidence from the player and his representatives regarding alleged breaches of the Rugby World Cup 2011 Tournament Disciplinary Programme and the RWC/IRB Code of Conduct relating to comments made about Owens via the public social media network Twitter.
Having considered all the evidence the Judicial Officer determined that the charges laid by Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) in respect of misconduct by the player for adverse comments against Owens were upheld. All of the charges relating to breaches of the RWC/IRB Code of Conduct arising from such comments were also all upheld.
The Judicial Officer determined that the comments about Owens made by Sapolu impugn his integrity and reputation both as a referee and as a man. The Judicial Officer recognised that the player might have been angry or emotional when making his initial comments via Twitter, however it did not justify his offensive behaviour towards the referee.
Contrary to the player’s submissions, the Judicial Officer determined that there was ‘absolutely no evidence that the referee was biased in the sense that he deliberately favoured one side or the other. To suggest that Nigel Owens is racist against Samoans is also completely inappropriate.’
112 Comments
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16 Oct 2011, 14:27 pm
Good riddance to this self-pitying bad sportsman – rugby does not need his type.
16 Oct 2011, 15:50 pm
@J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-101: I found it funny how the Samoans complained of bias when they in fact had countless infringements not called. They had the ref in their pocket as well. A knockon in the air by them led up a few phases later to that try. But no. Whinge. Good riddance indeed. They need to sort out their act.
16 Oct 2011, 22:34 pm
The rest of the rugby world share the view that Samoa were treated very badly by the ref in their encounter with the Boks.
17 Oct 2011, 06:34 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-103:
New Zealand ain’t the ‘rest of the rugby world’…
17 Oct 2011, 08:02 am
Bye bye cry baby. It’s a shame, I thought samoa matured in their rugby thinking, guess I was wrong.
17 Oct 2011, 08:03 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-103: Good joke.
17 Oct 2011, 09:54 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-104: Tackles thinks HE is the rest of the world.
17 Oct 2011, 13:15 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-103: Tackles, just for the record and with a pure rugby mindset, are you saying that the Ref in that game favoured the Boks…ie) his actual on field calls assisted the Boks?
18 Oct 2011, 00:31 am
103.TheTackler
The rest of the world? You dont really mean that do you? Or are you still stumbling around in your mad hatter guise?
18 Oct 2011, 00:35 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-103: Contrary to the player’s submissions, the Judicial Officer determined that there was ‘absolutely no evidence that the referee was biased in the sense that he deliberately favoured one side or the other. To suggest that Nigel Owens is racist against Samoans is also completely inappropriate.’
18 Oct 2011, 02:57 am
According to Supersport the IRB privately apologised to the Boks for Owens performance in the Samoa game.
18 Oct 2011, 03:01 am
He had very valid points and with his childish rants ruined everything. Lawyer my foot.
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