British rugby player Joe Marler is in hot water after publicly groping opponent Alun Wyn Jones' crotch during a game this past weekend.
\u201c#ENGvWAL what a response from Gareth Thomas \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f\ud83d\ude02\ud83e\udd23\ud83d\ude02\ud83e\udd23. C'mon Wales\u201d— \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f\ud83c\udd42\ud83c\udd43\ud83c\udd30\ud83c\udd41\ud83c\udd32\ud83c\udd37\ud83c\udd38\ud83c\udd3b\ud83c\udd33 \ud83c\udd33\ud83c\udd34\ud83c\udd3c\ud83c\udd3e\ud83c\udd3d (@\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f\ud83c\udd42\ud83c\udd43\ud83c\udd30\ud83c\udd41\ud83c\udd32\ud83c\udd37\ud83c\udd38\ud83c\udd3b\ud83c\udd33 \ud83c\udd33\ud83c\udd34\ud83c\udd3c\ud83c\udd3e\ud83c\udd3d) 1583603893
According to BBC News, Marler (who plays for the English national rugby team) was served a 10-week ban from the sport after he grabbed Wales team captain Jones' genitals, an offense that went unnoticed by referees but was caught on camera.
"There's no place for that in the game," Wales coach Wayne Pivac said in a statement. "We're all role models for the young players and the next generation of the game, and there are rules in the game."
He continued:
"You can't go outside those rules. If you do, then you face punishment."
At a press conference following the game, Jones addressed the incident, saying "It’s tough, isn’t it? Hopefully World Rugby have a look at it."
"Joe’s a good bloke, lots of things happen on a rugby field," he continued. "It’s difficult as a captain these days because you can’t speak to a ref about anything, it feels. I look at the touch judge. Obviously he didn’t see what happened, and that’s fine. There’s a lot of footage that has been shown. It seems like a lot of supporters saw what happened."
Marler himself also addressed the controversy on Twitter, calling his punishment "Bollocks. Complete bollocks." but as expected, many rugby fans were quick to let him know that what he did was a serious offense. (He has since deleted his account.)
\u201c@JoeMarler Not impressed with you sexually assaulting a player on the rugby pitch\nI hope you get the max ban of 208 weeks for cheating and breaking law 9.27 #rolemodel #bollocks\u201d— Joe Marler (@Joe Marler) 1583693227
\u201c@JoeMarler Not a great response. Never mind, you'll have between 12 and 280 weeks off to think about how to apologise properly. Look on the bright side though, Joe, if you'd done that in any other workplace, you'd, quite rightly, be well on your way to a criminal record.\u201d— Joe Marler (@Joe Marler) 1583693227
\u201c@JoeMarler What you did was disgusting! and in front of a nation of young sports fans. Some role model you are! You wanted a reaction. Now you're getting it. So buckle up butter cup! 12 weeks if you're lucky. I'm with AWJ\u201d— Joe Marler (@Joe Marler) 1583693227
\u201c@JoeMarler\u201d— Joe Marler (@Joe Marler) 1583693227
\u201c@JoeMarler Your act was a Sexual Offence\u201d— Joe Marler (@Joe Marler) 1583693227
\u201c@JoeMarler At least you are fortunate enough that your place of work is the rugby pitch if you did this in an office I think you would end up on a register... people defending it make me laugh. How do you think it's acceptable to grab someone by the genitals?\u201d— Joe Marler (@Joe Marler) 1583693227
\u201c@JoeMarler Apart from it wasn't funny..... It was sexual assault and there is no place for your behaviour in the great game of Rugby!\u201d— Joe Marler (@Joe Marler) 1583693227
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