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70,000 sign petition to stop gay rugby player's deportation
It is being reported that a gay rugby player based in the UK has had his deportation order temporarily suspended following a petition to put a stay on the decision.
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Over 70,000 signed a petition requesting that Kenneth Macharia not be deported back to his home country of Kenya The Guardian report.
Macharia believes he will face persecution as a result of his sexuality in his native land.
Bristol Bisons RFC, the club Macharia plays for, tweeted on Monday: “With heavy hearts we are sharing the news that one of our members has been detained pending deportation from the UK.
“Kenneth Macharia has had his request for asylum rejected and now risks being deported to Kenya, fearful of persecution and violence in Kenya because he is gay.”
With heavy hearts we are sharing the news that one of our members has been detained pending deportation from the UK.
Kenneth Macharia has had his request for asylum rejected and now risks being deported to Kenya, fearful of persecution and violence in Kenya because he is gay. pic.twitter.com/qySfq3XUAy
— Bristol Bisons RFC (@bisonsrfc) November 18, 2018
However MP James Heappey confirmed that his ‘removal notice’ had been cancelled, at least for the time being.
I’ve just heard from the Home Office that the Removal Notice for my constituent Kenneth Macharia has been cancelled. There’s lots left to do to but he won’t be going anywhere for now. Thank you to @bisonsrfc & all others who’ve been in touch to support Kenneth.@bbcpointswest
— Rt Hon James Heappey MP (@JSHeappey) November 20, 2018
Bristol Bisons RFC is the South West’s only inclusive rugby team and – according to the website – “offers an open and welcoming environment to players and supporters of all abilities and backgrounds regardless of sexuality to Bristol, Somerset, South Gloucestershire and surrounding areas since 2005.”
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Meanwhile the French rugby team have rallied in support of former Wales and British & Irish Lions star Gareth Thomas after he was the victim of a vicious homophobic assault last weekend.
On Sunday South Wales Police confirmed that a 16-year-old boy has admitted assaulting Thomas on Saturday.
Thomas, capped 100 times by his country, posted a video on Twitter stating that he had been subjected to a homophobic attack in the Welsh capital.
Thomas thanked police after he requested the teenager was dealt with by way of restorative justice so he could “learn more than any other way” following what he described as “a hate crime for my sexuality”.
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Now the French Rugby Federation’s vice president Serge Simon has said that the team will wear rainbow laces in their game against Fiji this weekend in support of Thomas.
Simon tweeted: “Dear @gareththomas14, All of French Rugby is with you regarding the homophobic molestation you’ve been victim of. To show our support, the French rugby players will wear a rainbow shoe lace during the France – Fidji game on Saturday night. We’re all in with you in this matter.”
“We are aware that a video has been posted on social media by former rugby international Gareth Thomas in relation to a hate crime which happened on The Hayes in Cardiff city centre.
“We can confirm a local 16-year-old boy was dealt through restorative justice following the incident at around 9pm.
“Restorative justice was at the request of Mr Thomas and accepted by the teenager who admitted assault and was apologetic for his actions.
“Restorative justice is about putting victim needs at the centre of the criminal justice system, finding positive solutions to crime and encouraging young people to be accountable for the consequences of their actions.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
2 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
163 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
163 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
163 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the deportation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
163 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
2 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
163 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
163 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
163 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
163 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
163 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
163 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
163 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
163 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
163 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
163 Go to comments