Pundit Arena Because Sport Is Everything
Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud has landed himself in big trouble after he was caught using homophobic language at the end of Sunday’s Champions Cup match.
The Top14 side demolished Bennetton 36-0, with Bastareaud scoring a second-half try, to keep control of the European pool, but it is likely to come at a cost with the French international’s offensive language picked up by the referee’s microphone.
In the dying seconds of the game and with the match over as a contest, the Italian side were handed a penalty near the halfway line. Bastareaud became embroiled in a tussle with visiting flanker Sebastian Negri. After they had been separated, Bastareaud could quite clearly be heard calling Negri a “faggot,” much to the immediate disgust of the commentators.
Will be interesting to see how long a ban Bastareaud gets.
Can’t call someone a ‘faggot’.
Heat of the moment or not.
Good opportunity to send out a big message.
— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) January 14, 2018
Disgusting from Mathieu Bastareaud @BastaOfficiel at the end of the @RCTofficiel v @BenettonRugby game calling Sebastian Negri a “f***ing faggot.” No place in the game for homophobia, @ChampionsCup should throw the book at him
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) January 14, 2018
Matthieu Bastareaud.
Long ban deserved.
— The Loose Head ? (@TheLooseH) January 14, 2018
It obviously remains to be seen what sort of punishment will be dished out to Bastareud by the EPCR, but it will almost certainly be a heavy one as the governing body stress the fact that homophobia will not be tolerated in the game.
