'It's a sad thing about the sport': Wayne Barnes' retirement plea to stop trolls
Former referee Wayne Barnes has called for more ways in which perpetrators of online abuse are held to account after being the victim of attacks online following the World Cup final.
Barnes retired after officiating South Africa's 12-11 win over the All Blacks at the Stade de France in what was his record-extending 111th Test, but he and his family have been subjected to online attacks in the wake of the result.
Less than a week after announcing his retirement, the 44-year-old has said that his aim in his post-refereeing life is to make sure that this issue is taken more seriously, fearing people will not want to be involved in rugby if this continues.
"It's a sad thing about the sport at the moment," the Englishman said in an interview with the BBC.
"We're all used to criticism, people saying they disagree with our decisions, that's part of the role. But when people make threats of violence against you, against your wife, against your kids, threats of sexual violence, threats of saying we know where you live. That crosses a line and that's where people should be held to account and also should be punished.
"I said that when I retired, the one thing I want to do is make sure is that is taken more seriously. That people are held to account more. I 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.
"People don't see the human side of refereeing. They think we're the man or woman who turn up on a Saturday afternoon an ruin their sport, ruin their day. But we're actually human beings.
"You're going to think about whether you want to be involved in high profile sport, whether that's as a referee or as a player, if you're going to get this venom and this criticism week in, week out. People will ask themselves why? Why do I do this? And if it becomes the norm, then more and more people will do it. That's why we need to start saying 'this isn't the norm, this isn't acceptable.'"
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> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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