New Zealand police have confirmed an investigation has been launched into a case of death threats against a World Rugby referee, shortly after it was revealed that Wayne Barnes was the subject of the most abuse at the 2023 World Cup.
World Rugby reports that British referee Burns, who officiated at the World Cup final between the Springboks and All Blacks, received more abuse on social media during the tournament in France than any other individual or team. It became clear.
Barnes was one of the most targeted individuals throughout the tournament, as he received one-third of all abuse directed at individuals.
The report said three match officials were among the top 10 most targeted people at the tournament. Match officials received 49% of the total amount of direct abuse in the competition, making them the fourth most targeted group, ahead of finalists the All Blacks.
Allegations of match-fixing and corruption were the most prevalent form after general abuse, with violent and family-related intimidation also ranking high.
The biggest spike in abuse occurred on October 15, when France narrowly lost to South Africa in the quarter-finals. A further spike was seen on the day of the final match between New Zealand and South Africa.
The report revealed that 21 verified social media accounts based in New Zealand sent abuse during the tournament. The most verified accounts were from France (95) and South Africa (71).
New Zealand Detective Inspector Stuart Mills told the NZ Herald that police were investigating three complaints of intimidation against referees.
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