Rassie’s World Rugby disciplinary must be made public
Rassie Erasmus wants his World Rugby hearing to be done publicly, in the name of transparency. World Rugby is refusing. Why & why the secrecy? asks Mark Keohane. It must be public if there is nothing to hide.
The old boys club of World Rugby must be challenged in the most public of forums and this is exactly what South Africa’s National Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus is doing with his request to have his hearing made public.
Erasmus, on having the hearing dates confirmed as the 30th and 31st October, took to his social media Twitter account, with his response.
So lekka !! This is what we all deserve, players ,coaches , supporters and referees: just to get an opportunity to tell the truth without an option of hiding anything!! Thats all!! Then anyone can make and informed decision on facts !! The way it should be!!
— Rassie Erasmus (@RassieRugby) October 7, 2021
Rapport Newspaper detailed Erasmus’s request and the consequent refusal of World Rugby to entertain the request that his misconduct hearing be open to the public.
Erasmus’s legal representative, the veteran Frikkie Erasmus, insisted it was in the public interest to have the hearing open to the world.
Both Erasmus’s have also questioned how World Rugby can call the appointed disciplinary committee independent when all three are on World Rugby’s pay roll.
World Rugby formally charged Erasmus and SA Rugby after the director of rugby produced a video in which he criticised match officials of getting 26 decisions wrong in relation to South Africa in the first Test defeat against the British & Irish Lions.
The Springboks won the remaining two Tests to clinch the series.
Australia Nic Berry was the referee in that first Test in Cape Town.
Independent judicial panel chairman Christopher Quinlan QC (New Zealand) will chair the panel alongside Nigel Hampton QC (New Zealand) and Judge Mike Mika (New Zealand), and Erasmus doesn’t believe he will get a fair trial, if held behind closed doors.
‘The allegations against Rassie are unfounded and the facts will be revealed during the hearing,’ Frikkie Erasmus told Rapport. ‘It is therefore in the interest of justice to have a transparent hearing. There is no justification for any secrecy.’
Also on www.keo.co.za
All power to Rassie as he goes viral in damnation of match officials
