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City Kickboxing coach Eugene Bareman says his fighters have just as much right to wear silver fern as former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw did.
Auckland’s UFC star team City Kickboxing will take on NZ Rugby over the right hand side of their fighters to wear the silver fern.
City Kickboxing coach Eugene Baremam told a press conference in Auckland that his fighters have as much right to use the silver fern as the All Blacks.
“The UFC prevents us from using the silver fern because the All Blacks have contacted them and asked them not to use it because it has a trademark,” Bareman said, after showing photos of Richie McCaw wearing the silver fern.
ALAN LEE / PHOTOSPORT / Stuff
Eugene Bareman says that no one owns the silver fern.
“We represent our country with pride. Nobody owns the silver fern. “
Bareman said he understood that there were some issues with using silver fern.
“But nobody owns that symbol. Everyone who represents our country internationally earns the right, especially my boys, and I’m obviously biased, to represent their country and where that symbol is.
“It is a symbol of national pride and national importance.”
Bareman showed photos of McCaw with the silver fern.
“Here he is again, the great himself, bloodied and bruised in battle, representing our country as he has always done as captain from a young age.
“Now look, here are some of our guys doing the same thing,” he said showing photos of his own fighters. It’s probably worse, don’t you think? Here’s one of them in the hospital immediately after the fight.
“Here we are, we are proud of our country, we are proud to represent our country, and every chance we get, we try to represent our country.”
“The UFC called me and told me that we are changing the symbol. They said ‘how are you doing Eugene?’ It’s a great day, we’re just going to change that symbol on your sleeves that you wear to battle.
We wear it in our uniform, we wear it with great pride and it doesn’t matter if you were born in Nigeria or Samoa, it doesn’t matter where you come from.
“It is very important for us. It’s something we stand for ”.
“The All Blacks do not own the silver fern, they cannot prevent us from using it, we will use it anyway.
“Richie McCaw could come in here today with his band of lawyers and try to stop us, and I’d like to see him try.
“It’s not going to happen.”
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