Rugby fans and the media in Spain have not reacted well to the decision by World Rugby to disqualify their side from the Rugby World Cup.
The decision was made yesterday to deduct Spain €25,000 and deduct them 10 points, meaning they no longer qualified for the World Cup.
Spain was set to play in their first World Cup since 1999, and were placed in group B alongside Ireland, South Africa and Scotland.
An opinion piece in the the popular Spanish newspaper Marca by writer Fernando Carreno featured some strong and passionate criticism of the decisiondecision. The article begins (as translated by a reddit user):
“Go f**k yourselves. Go to hell. Go far, far away, where the thousands of players and fans of all ages and sexes feel rage and impotence will never have news of your existence. Go away and never come back because the damage they have done to our rugby will never be erased.”
There was references in the article to the player at focus Gavin Van Den Berg, who is deemed to have broken residency rules by travelling back to South Africa for a longer period of time then allowed.
The article believes it’s the policies of governing bodies, rather than him that are at fault.
"You are to blame. Those who consider rugby their property. Those who block the ideas and initiatives of the rival only because you have not taken them. Those who talk about values and professionalism and when they feel like it, forge a passport with all their might.
"If you have not succeeded or known how to make things change-you have not succeeded, go away too."
There was also reference made to the incredible scenes when Spain won against Portugal to qualify for the world cup, claiming this decision will have a huge impact on younger generations.
“I see the hundreds of children who ran after the Portugal game, and others to hug the players. I see their happy faces, I think of those who destroyed the greatest opportunity for Spanish Rugby to make the leap and I don’t want to go on.
"It is too painful."
Time will tell to see how this develops, with Spain likely to appeal the decision.
SEE ALSO: Spain Kicked Out Of Rugby World Cup After False Documentation Issue
