Fiji star reportedly racially abused after red card for ‘cheap shot’
Fijian Drua scrum-half Frank Lomani allegedly received racial abuse during the Super Rugby Pacific match against the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday.
The 27-year-old’s game was cut short when referee Damon Murphy issued a red card for Lomani’s elbow to the back of the head of Rebels lock Josh Canham.
Lomani’s red card
Lomani has received major backlash for lashing out at Canham with many highlighting that even in combat sports his actions are illegal.
Referee Murphy needed just one replay to decide whether to red card the scrum-half, who represented Fiji at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and duly gave him his marching orders.
Lomani pleaded to the referee that he was trying “to swat him off” and was not pleased with the decision.
As he returned to the bench and looked to take his seat, the broadcast caught Lomani angrily reacting to something he heard from the stands.
He shot to his feet and threw his chair before being ushered away before things further escalated.
Reported racial abuse
Following the match, footage has emerged of a Melbourne Rebels supporter being escorted out of the stands after reportedly racially abusing Lomani.
In a video circulating on social media, a man in a Rebels jersey is seen arguing with surrounding fans after reportedly hurling racial slurs at Lomani.
Fans have reported that the man shouted “Black c**t!” at Lomani, and when he reacted, he added: “You want to break a chair that you can’t pay for?”
Neisau Tuidraki was a supporter who witnessed what unfolded and the following snippets were taken from her thread on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Absolutely disgusted with a group of Rebel supporters who threw racial slurs at Frank Lomani tonight,” she wrote.
“While the Rebels rolling mauls were slaughtering our Drua boys in the second half, Frank Lomani was red carded when he elbowed a Rebel player. Lomani absolutely deserved that.
“So when Frank came off they proceeded to scream at him ‘F@$k off’ and then the cherry on top ‘black c@nt’.
AAMI security were hopeless, the Drua supporters asked security to eject them all but honestly, I am mind blown at the caucasity of these supporters that thought they could swear like that at Lomani with Drua supporters to the front, back, left and right and get away with it.
“The Rebel supporters around us were embarrassed and it put a sour taste to the end of the night.”
The Melbourne Rebels are yet to comment on the incident.
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