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<\/p>\nWayne Barnes has retired from officiating <\/p>\n
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Referee Wayne Barnes has said that \u201cvile\u201d abuse in the days after the Rugby World Cup final \u201ccrossed the line\u201d, urging authorities to punish those responsible.<\/p>\n
Barnes has announced his retirement from officiating after a record-setting career that saw the Englishman take charge of more than 100 Test matches.<\/p>\n
His final professional game with the whistle was last month\u2019s final in Paris, when Barnes dismissed New Zealand captain Sam Cane during the All Blacks\u2019 12-11 defeat to South Africa.<\/p>\n
In his retirement statement, Barnes suggested that the level of abuse that officials were now subjected to was unacceptable, while his wife, Polly, has said that her husband received death threats after the final.<\/p>\n
The 44-year-old, a qualified barrister, has now outlined the nature of abuse received, including threats to his family, while stressing that the situation is only getting worse.<\/p>\n
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Wayne Barnes sent off New Zealand captain Sam Cane during the World Cup final <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people make threats against your wife and kids, they should be held to account and punished,\u201d Barnes told the BBC.<\/p>\n
\u201cThreats of sexual violence, threats of saying we know where you live. It crosses that line,.<\/p>\n
\u201cSocial media is getting worse and it\u2019s the sad thing about the sport at the moment. It has not been a one-off.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m on social media for numerous reasons. One is to promote the charitable work I do and to also promote officiating and to explain what a difficult job it is and to humanise it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI make that choice, and with that choice comes the ability for people to send messages of hate and violence.\u201d<\/p>\n
World Rugby announced a partnership with Signify Group ahead of the tournament to crack down on social media abuse of players and officials. <\/p>\n
However a number of individuals still had to deal with threats sent over the internet, including England flanker Tom Curry.<\/p>\n
Curry was the target of abuse after making an allegation that South Africa hooker Bongi Mbonambi had directed a racial slur towards him.<\/p>\n
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Wayne Barnes took charge of 111 international matches <\/p>\n
New Zealand referee Ben O\u2019Keeffe was also the target of criticism after overseeing France\u2019s quarter-final exit against the Springboks. <\/p>\n
Barnes wonders if those directing abuse should be allowed to be involved in the sport at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re a fan at your local rugby club and you\u2019re sending vile messages to people\u2019s families and making threats, why should you be able to be involved in the rugby family?\u201d he asked. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe bit I\u2019ve always struggled with and will continue to struggle with is when that abuse comes to my family.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want prosecuting agencies to consider ways of doing that, I want legislation of what social media sites can do to prevent it and I also want governing bodies to consider what they can do.\u201d<\/p>\n