{"id":295022,"date":"2023-10-26T07:25:17","date_gmt":"2023-10-26T07:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/?p=295022"},"modified":"2023-10-26T07:25:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T07:25:17","slug":"world-rugby-close-investigation-into-white-slur-at-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/rugby-union\/world-rugby-close-investigation-into-white-slur-at-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"World Rugby CLOSE investigation into 'white ****' slur at World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"
World Rugby have announced they have closed an investigation into claims\u00a0South Africa\u00a0star Bongi Mbonambi called England’s Tom Curry a \u2018white ****’ at the\u00a0Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n
Curry\u00a0complained that he had been called a \u2018white ****\u2019 by Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi during the national team\u2019s agonising 16-15 semi-final defeat at the Stade de France last Saturday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old approached referee Ben O’Keeffe to report the alleged comment during the match.<\/p>\n
World Rugby confirmed it had investigated Curry’s complaint, as well as a further allegation brought forward from a previous match in the Autumn Nations in 2022.<\/p>\n
‘Any allegation of discrimination is taken extremely seriously by World Rugby, warranting a thorough investigation,\u2019 a World Rugby statement read.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mbonambi can play in the Rugby World Cup final this weekend after\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Having considered all the available evidence, including match footage, audio and evidence from both teams, the governing body has determined there is insufficient evidence at this time to proceed with charges.<\/p>\n
\u2018Therefore the matter is deemed closed unless additional evidence comes to light.’<\/p>\n
World Rugby has also condemned online abuse directed at Curry and\u00a0Mbonambi following the incident.<\/p>\n
\u2018It is important to note that World Rugby accepts that Tom Curry made the allegations in good faith, and that there is no suggestion that the allegation was deliberately false of malicious,’ the statement continued.<\/p>\n
\u2018World Rugby is also concerned by the social media abuse that both players have been subjected to this week.<\/p>\n
\u2018There is no place in rugby or society for discrimination, abuse or hate speech, and World Rugby urges fans to embrace the sport\u2019s values of respect, integrity and solidarity.\u2019<\/p>\n