Latest news with #MatchOfficials
Al Bawaba
03-07-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Emirates signs on as Official Partner of Women's Rugby World Cup England 2025
Emirates and World Rugby have announced a new partnership which will see the airline become an Official Partner of Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, kicking off on 22 August in England. Emirates will continue its support of match officiating with the sponsorship of World Rugby Match Officials during Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, helping foster the growth and development of top-tier match officials and the rise of women officials in pinnacle competitions. The Emirates 'Fly Better' kit will be worn across all matches. This new sponsorship demonstrates the airline's commitment to advancing the sport of rugby while also enhancing the growth and visibility of women's sports. The rise of women's rugby and the growth of its professional league provides Emirates with a platform to engage with new, passionate fan bases. Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 will span eight venues across England, with 16 national teams competing for the newly introduced Women's Rugby World Cup Trophy. Emirates has a well-established commercial and operational footprint in 13 participating countries. Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: 'We're excited to partner with World Rugby as an Official Partner and Airline of Women's Rugby World Cup 2025. Women's rugby is flourishing globally, and Emirates' significant investment expands our presence and supports rugby's growth. Making the sport accessible to everyone is part of our commitment to creating long-lasting impact, stronger connections with fans and unlocking possibilities through the power of sport.' Michel Poussau, World Rugby Chief Revenue Officer said: 'Emirates has been a trusted and long-standing partner of World Rugby and our pinnacle competitions for nearly two decades, and we're proud to extend this enduring relationship into the groundbreaking Women's Rugby World Cup 2025. Their continued commitment to supporting our match officials plays a crucial role in upholding excellence on the field. This partnership reflects not only our shared values, but also our collective ambition to elevate rugby on the global stage.' Sarah Massey, Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director added: 'Supporting the development of our team behind the whistle on the sport's biggest stage is vital to delivering a world-class tournament. Emirates' investment is helping create meaningful opportunities for these inspiring individuals to thrive, especially the women match officials taking part in this landmark event. We're thrilled to welcome Emirates as a partner for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025.' As part of the new partnership, Emirates will enjoy significant marketing exposure across Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 digital and social channels, on-ground activations, along with ticketing and hospitality benefits. The airline will also receive in-stadium branding across all 32 Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 matches. Emirates has championed the game of rugby since 1987, expanding its support to include World Rugby, six consecutive Rugby World Cups (2007-2027), HSBC Cape Town 7s, and the Emirates Dubai 7s for nearly 40 years. The airline is also title sponsor of Asia Rugby and the UAE Rugby Federation, supporting both men's and women's national teams, plus local grassroots club Dubai Hurricanes Rugby. The airline recently announced a multi-year partnership with European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), making it the Premium Partner and Official Airline Partner of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. The airline also supports the advancement of women's sports across several of its major sponsorships including all four women's tennis Grand Slams, WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships; nine Asia Rugby women's competitions; UAE Rugby Federation Women's League, Women's HSBC 7s, Arab Women's 7's; Dubai Hurricanes Women's teams; Dubai 7s women's rugby and netball competitions; HSBC Cape Town 7's; ICC Women's World Cups; Lancashire women's cricket club and Arsenal women's football club.
Times of Oman
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy fined for ICC Code of Conduct breach during first Test against Australia
New Delhi : West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second day of the first Test that the visitors clinched by 159 runs, courtesy Josh Hazlewood's stunning 5-43 in Bridgetown, according to the ICC website. The sanction relates to comments made by Sammy during a media interaction at the end of Day 2, where he criticised one of the match officials in reference to multiple incidents throughout the day's play. The 41-year-old was found to have violated Article 2.7 of the Code, which pertains to "public criticism of, or inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in an International Match or any Player, Player Support Personnel, Match Official or team participating in any International Match." As a result, one demerit point has also been added to Sammy's disciplinary record, his first offence in a 24-month period. Sammy admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Javagal Srinath of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, after the charge was levelled by on-field umpires Richard Kettleborough and Nitin Menon, third umpire Adrian Holdstock, and fourth umpire Gregory Brathwaite. Level 1 offences carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum of a 50% match fee fine, along with one or two demerit points. The visiting Australian side thumped West Indies by 159 runs after the home side lost all ten wickets in the final session on Day three, while chasing the 301-run target in a game that was filled with twists and turns. The second Test begins on Thursday, 3rd July at the National Cricket Stadium in St George's. (
RNZ News
27-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Rugby union considers match cancellations after referee stabbing threat
File photo. Photo: Unsplash / Davide Buttani The Horowhenua-Kāpiti Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) is considering cancelling games after a referee was threatened with being stabbed. The union posted on social media that it was "deeply concerned about the escalating abuse directed at our referees, including recent incidents of verbal threats, threats of physical harm, including being stabbed, and actual physical abuse." It said it had been decided that if there are were further instances of serious referee abuse, all senior club rugby across the region would be cancelled for one full weekend. A Thames Valley v Horowhenua-Kāpiti match in 2022. File photo Photo: © Jason Bartley 2022 © Photosport Ltd 2022 / HKRFU said the problem had reached a tipping point, and the "safety and well-being of our match officials must take absolute priority". "This is not a decision we take lightly, but it is a necessary step to send a clear and unequivocal message, abuse will not be tolerated." If cancelled, those games would be rescheduled for later in the season. HKRFU chief executive Corey Kennett said the behaviour was "completely unacceptable" and "in direct opposition to the values of respect, safety, and integrity that underpin our great game". He said the problem had been building. "You've got to paint the landscape and this is not one weekend's activity. This is a culmination of the degradation of respect for match officials over a period of time," Kennett said. "What it culminated in is referees being physically threatened, some physical abuse with a referee being struck with a piece of field equipment, and then one referee being threatened to be stabbed. "We're just not going to walk past it. For us, the standard you walk past is the standard you accept, and so we're just not going to accept that." Kennett said HKFRU are investigating the two incidents, both of which were at senior games, and the police are involved. He's confident those responsible will be found. "We've got ongoing investigations so I can't comment on exact detail, but we have a pretty good hit record on identification," Kennett said. "Rugby's a pretty small and committed community, so it's rare for someone to be unidentified. "When we do (identify them) we prosecute them to the full extent of what we can and we always see a fantastic response from member clubs in particular who support that wholeheartedly." Horowhenua Kāpiti celebrate. Lochore Cup Final. 2018. Photo: John Cowpland/Photosport Ltd 2018 Kennett said the problem isn't confined to Horowhenua-Kāpiti. "Absolutely. It's a country wide epidemic. In fact if we were to have a table of the worst cases of abuse, we're (HKRFU) far from the worst. "But it doesn't stop the effect of what is happening. These volunteers that go out every week and enable the game to happen. They don't go along to watch. They don't go along to sit down and take it easy. They make the game happen. "This game does not happen without them. They will leave their home, their family. They will take time off work. We're always short of referees and we will have them officiating in two to three games per day and sad fact is they could be abused at all three to various levels of abuse. "We just need people to really have a look in the mirror and some of them need to give themselves an uppercut, but some of them need to think about what would you do if that's your family member, your husband, your wife, your son, your daughter. You know, what would you do? Are you going to walk past that standard or are you going to stand up and do something and that's what we need." Kennett said referees are essential volunteers to the sport and deserve to officiate without fear of abuse or intimidation. He said the abuse was disappointing but the response from clubs and others in the province had been heartwarming. "We've had the whole of the rugby community agreed to this 100% unanimously, that we had to do something. "The Rugby Referees Association have been incredibly thankful for the support and they've been involved in the process the whole way. "What we're hoping is that we can get a combined approach and try and get this under control." The Horowhenua-Kāpiti Rugby Referees Association said in a statement that it backed the union's decision to draw a line in the sand. "We are thank full for the support we have received from the whole Rugby Community to address abuse. "We very much appreciated being involved in the process and support fully the stance taken by the Horowhenua Kāpiti Rugby Union."
