[ad_1]
GETTY IMAGES
Premier Jacinda Ardern said that the Crusaders' change of name was one of the concessions of Super Rugby and its fans.
Sports Minister Grant Robertson criticized an "appalling and baseless" article claiming he and Premier Jacinda Ardern were behind the Crusaders' name change.
Ardern also described as "inaccurate" a report carried by Newstalk ZB and the New Zealand Herald Robertson and she wanted a new name for the Super Rugby champions following the March 15 terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch.
"It's strange, I have not expressed an opinion either in public or even privately, I have not even thought that anyone can even speculate," he said. she told The AM show.
"Apparently, I lobbied.I did not even know it.It is inaccurate."
GETTY IMAGES
The riders of the Crusaders have already been removed from the pre-game show.
READ MORE:
* Crusaders should put the name of the sword
* Editorial: The power of names
* A shooting victim supports the name change of the crusaders
STACY SQUIRES / STUFF
People in Christchurch are being asked if the Crusaders Super Rugby team needs to change their name.
Robertson was offended by reporters on Tuesday morning about this story.
"Absolutely unfounded," he says.
"I did not have any conversations with the Crusaders, as far as I know, the Prime Minister either.
"This story was a terrible story, the person who wrote it did not bother to check with us or with the Crusaders, they circulated some kind of rumor."
ROSA WOODS / STUFF
Sports Minister Grant Robertson has launched a "frightful and baseless" claim that Premier Jacinda Ardern advocates a name change for the Crusaders (archival photo).
Robertson said it was "pretty difficult actually having to react to a story because history says we denied something that is totally unfounded".
GETTY IMAGES
Premier Jacinda Ardern presents All Blacks captain Kieran Reads at the Bledisloe Cup after a test against Australia last year.
Crusaders general manager Colin Mansbridge said the story was simply "wrong".
The Super Rugby franchise confirmed last week that the name and images of the upcoming season had been revised following the recent terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch. The executive director of New Zealand Rugby, Steve Tew, said that the link with the knights on horseback was no longer tenable. ".
The pressure related to the name change was born from the secular sensitivity to the history of the Crusades, which were bloody conflicts of the Middle Ages between Muslims and Christians.
Although Ardern does not want to share his opinion on the issue, claiming that it was up to the franchise and his fans to decide, she applauded the Crusaders for this discussion.
"I think the discussion is good, but it's a matter of concern to the Crusaders' leadership and their fans," said Ardern.
Source link
