Wayne Barnes, an emblematic former referee and respected figure in world Rugby, strongly criticized the Rugby Football Referees' Union (RFRU), the association of referees of the English rugby federation, for its role in the revolt against salary scandals and bonuses within the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
Barnes, who recently retired after refereeing the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, denounced in an internal letter the negative impact of the referees' public stance on the credibility of all officials. He believes the RFRU's open criticism of the RFU weakens the position of referees in English rugby.
Bill Sweeney in the hot seat
The controversy erupted after the revelation of the high salaries of RFU executives, including chief executive Bill Sweeney, who received £1.1 million for the 2023-2024 financial year. The announcement comes as the organization faces historic losses of £37.9 million and job cuts.
A letter signed by 141 clubs and referee associations, demanding answers, was submitted in January, fueling a revolt among those involved in amateur rugby.
In a letter revealed by The TelegraphWayne Barnes writes: “When our federation sends an email with language like this, it harms all referees, because if referees can openly criticize other members of the game, why can't the game criticize openly the referees? »
-He also recalled the efforts made to strengthen the credibility of referees and stressed that the members of the RFU council, accused by the RFRU, are themselves volunteers, adding:
“It’s something we’ve all worked hard to campaign against. The council members (RFU) that the RFRU accuses of trying to stifle good governance are volunteers of the game, just like you. »
The English Rugby Union has agreed to hold an extraordinary general meeting after the Six Nations, at which the governing body's chief executive, Bill Sweeney, will face calls for his resignation. impeachment.
This article was originally published in English on RugbyPass.com and adapted into French by Willy Billiard.
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