England Rugby Team Faces Racial Abuse During Triumph Over Argentina in San Juan

England's Rugby Team Faces Racial Abuse During San Juan Test

England's rugby players were subjected to racial abuse during their second Test match against Argentina in San Juan on July 12. The incident occurred while England's substitutes were warming up in the first half. Team officials promptly lodged a formal complaint with World Rugby, the sport's governing body.

Investigation and Response

World Rugby confirmed the incident but expressed regret that the perpetrators could not be identified despite a thorough investigation involving witness statements and video analysis. Gabriel Travaglini, president of the Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR), stated, "Intense efforts were made to identify the small group of five or seven individuals responsible within a crowd of over 20,000 spectators. Unfortunately, despite an exhaustive search, it was not possible to identify the perpetrators."

Condemnation and Solidarity

Both World Rugby and UAR strongly condemned the racist behavior. Travaglini added that UAR would collaborate with World Rugby to educate fans and prevent such incidents in the future. World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson emphasized, "Rugby completely condemns discriminatory behavior of any kind. We offer our full support to the players involved and want them to know that rugby stands with them in opposing racism. I applaud their courage in raising what must have been a highly distressing experience."

Historical Context

This incident is not isolated in Argentine sports. In 2020, rugby players Pablo Matera and Guido Petti were suspended after past racist remarks surfaced on social media. In 2024, Chelsea footballer Enzo Fernandez apologized for participating in a chant questioning the heritage of France's black and mixed-race players.

England's Summer Tour Success

Despite the distressing incident, England continued their successful summer tour, defeating the United States 40-5 in Washington DC, securing three consecutive victories.

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