Tom Curry fiasco: Fans must let due process run its course and refrain from launching vile attacks
Far too much of this week’s X (formerly Twitter) timeline was full of abuse towards England flanker Tom Curry, for following through what he thought was a racial slur directed towards him and reporting it – something we should encourage.
During Saturday’s Rugby World Cup match between England and South Africa, which the Springboks won 16-15 with an epic comeback, Curry alleged to referee Ben O’Keeffe that he had been called a “White C***” by opposition hooker Bongi Mbonambi.
It was one almighty accusation to make, and one World Rugby and the Rugby Football Union were right to follow through with and investigate.
So why, between the confirmation of the incident being reviewed and Thursday’s judgement that absolved Mbonambi – a stalwart of the South African game of late – on lack of evidence, was Curry subject to some disgusting abuse by hundreds of people who claim to be fans of the sport?
It is right that Curry complained to the match officials about what he heard, to not do so would have been to brush off what could have been a very serious situation at the highest level of sport – it is hardly his fault it has been blown up to the cluster bomb that it has been, he wasn’t forthcoming when probed after the match.
And the point is this: if fans berate sportspeople for reporting what they hear – whether it is alleged racism, gender based comments or homophobia – we cannot encourage an environment where people don’t feel like they can stand up for something without fear of the subsequent pile on.
There is no conspiracy here against the Springboks, as some fans will have you believe. There was an incident, it was reported, an investigation was opened and an investigation was concluded. That is due process.
There may be valid questions as to why the Rugby Football Union chose to bring up an incident from November 2022 involving Curry and Mbonambi , and there are certainly valid questions as to why that wasn’t dealt with last year, as well as questions over the incident being lost in translation.
But to abuse a player online is never the answer.
There is a very important conversation to be had about language at the top level, especially in the era of referee microphones – but fans, too, need to look at themselves and understand that their language online, usually anonymously, has consequences.
We live in an era of exceptional access to our favourite players, coaches and opposition fans; it’s what makes the modern sporting world so engaging.
But with it comes responsibility. Fans must let due process run its cause and refrain from launching vile attacks at any player.
Rugby this week proved it can operate like a global body should do and turn the cogs rationally to produce answers in a timely manner – whether people like them or not – but many fans have shown themselves up in a way that’s, quite frankly, ugly and that is a shame for the sport ahead of the final.