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(FILE) – Argentine rugby player Pablo Matera, then captain of the Jaguars after the 2019 Super Rugby game between the Sharks and the Jaguars at GrowthPoint Kings Park, Durban, South Africa on April 13, 2019. According to the Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR), Matera, now the captain of the Pumas, and two teammates have been suspended after posting racist comments on social media. EPA-EFE / Muzi Ntombela
Pablo Matera was stripped of the captaincy of Argentina and suspended along with his colleagues Guido Petti and Santiago Socino for racist comments they published nine years ago.
The scandal has pushed Argentina’s camp into crisis days before their final Tri-Nations match against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.
The Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) said its board of directors had met urgently after revelations of the “discriminatory” positions of players between 2011 and 2013.
“The Argentine Rugby Union strongly repudiates the discriminatory and xenophobic comments posted by members of the Los Pumas squad on social media,” the union said.
“Although the messages were expressed between 2011 and 2013 … the Argentine Rugby Union condemns any expression of hatred and we consider it unacceptable that those who express them represent our country.”
The UAR said it had asked the Pumas staff to propose a new captain to the board and for the players to withdraw pending a “disciplinary process.”
Players’ social media accounts were shut down on Tuesday, but screenshots of previous posts discrediting black people and people from other South American nations were widely circulated.
Argentine media published screenshots of the apologies posted on social media by the three players.
“I’m very embarrassed,” Matera said.
“I feel sorry for all those who were offended by the atrocities I wrote. At that moment I never imagined who I was going to become. Today I have to admit what I said nine years ago.
“I also apologize to my family and my team for what they are going through because of my actions and thanks to the people who love me for their support.”
Matera, a 27-year-old winger, and veteran bolt Petti were in the starting 15 in Argentina’s 38-0 loss to New Zealand in the Three Nations game in Newcastle on Saturday, with hooker Socino in the reserves.
Just a few weeks ago, Matera was the toast of the rugby world to his brilliant performance by leading his team to a 25-15 victory over the All Blacks in Sydney, Argentina’s first victory over the New Zealanders.
However, his Three Nations campaign has quickly gone downhill.
Following Saturday’s loss, Matera apologized to fans in a video posted on the Pumas Twitter account after the players were criticized for not doing enough to pay tribute to soccer icon Diego Maradona, who died in the last week.
Matera’s discriminatory posts later resurfaced on Twitter in response to that apology.
A team spokesman said the Pumas had canceled all media activities on Tuesday and referred Reuters to the UAR statement.
Wallabies mainstay Allan Alaalatoa said Matera’s absence would be a huge blow to the Pumas.
“For Pablo to be their captain is going to be a great loss, I’m sure,” he said.
“We are not very clear what will happen on their part.” DM
