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Pablo Matera of Argentina takes a break during the 2020 Three Nations rugby match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Argentina Los Pumas at Bankwest Stadium on November 14, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)
Argentina rugby pattern Pablo Matera he was stripped of the captaincy and suspended along with two other players on Tuesday for “discriminatory and xenophobic” tweets.
Just over two weeks after Matera led the Pumas to their first victory over the All Blacks, the Argentine Rugby Union “revoked” his captaincy and suspended him, along with the second row. Guido petti and replacement prostitute Santiago Socino.
“The Argentine Rugby Union strongly rejects the discriminatory and xenophobic comments posted by members of the Pumas squad on social media,” read a statement, after offensive tweets dating from 2011-2013 came to light.
In his tweets, since deleted, Matera spoke of “running over blacks” with his car and disparaged Bolivians and Paraguayans.
The team said that while the charges were almost a decade old and “did not represent the personal integrity that the three have displayed during their current tenure with the Pumas,” action had to be taken.
“The Argentine Rugby Union condemns any case of hate speech and considers it unacceptable that anyone who expresses those opinions represents our country,” he added. the statement said.
Matera, who plays rugby at the Stade Francais in Paris, said in a statement that he was “deeply ashamed.”
“I feel sorry for all those who were offended by the atrocities I wrote,” he said on Instagram.
“At that time I could never imagine who I would become. Today I have to take responsibility for what I said nine years ago.”
“I also want to apologize to my team and my family for what they are experiencing due to my actions.”
Argentina rugby said it would ask staff to propose candidates to replace Matera as captain.
The trio’s suspension leaves the Pumas reeling before a clash with the Wallabies this weekend.
It is the last game in a Tri Nations series that saw Argentina beat New Zealand and draw with Australia, but which will now also be remembered for the scandal.
