- Andrew Sarek accepted charge but denied comment was racist
- RFU caught up in racism row with World Rugby at France 2023
A former Rugby Football Union council member has been banned from attending any match in England for 12 months for using a racial slur against a black volunteer during a World Cup warm-up fixture at Twickenham in August. Andrew Sarek has also been banned from carrying out any administrative duties for a year after accepting the RFU’s charge.
The incident took place after England’s World Cup warm-up victory over Wales on 12 August. According to the union’s written judgment, Sarek was introduced to the RFU volunteer, who said Sarek used the term, “not another black cunt”. In their written evidence, the volunteer also said: “In one respect I am pleased my friends were not close enough to hear this, several of them are black and would have also been deeply offended. I am beginning to feel tired of defending the people in the game of rugby.”
