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Ardie Savea appears to have got off lightly with his throat-slitting gesture compared with other sports stars who’ve done something similar.
The Hurricanes No 8 was only given a warning by the Sanzaar foul play review committee on Tuesday and this, along with a yellow card he got in the game against the Rebels, culminated in a one-game ban.
Compared with the punishments given out to players of other codes, Savea can count himself lucky that he hasn’t also taken a hit to his wallet for the incident.
In 2016 Chicago Bulls star Dwayne Wade was fined US$25,000 (NZ$41,000) for making a similar gesture after landing a game-sealing three-pointer against the Boston Celtics.
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* Haka reaction row should have made Ardie Savea think twice about ‘throat-slitting’ gesture
After the game Wade tweeted an apology, saying: “I wanna apologize to my young fans on my gesture at the end of last night’s game. I was caught up in the emotions of my first game at home.”
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Kevin Durant didn’t feel like apologising for his throat slitting gesture.
He also told reporters it was an out-of-body experience by him.
Three years earlier Kevin Durant received the same fine for a throat-slitting gesture when playing for Oklahoma City against Golden State, with the NBA deeming it menacing.
Durant was less repentant than Wade or Savea for his actions.
“Kill ‘em and pray for ‘em after the game,” Durant said, according to the Associated Press.
“It’s nothing against the team I’m playing against. Come out with a mind-set and be friends after the game.”
In 1999 the NFL outlawed any sort of throat slitting gesture, but in 2013 Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant copped a US$7875 (NZ$12,870) fine for doing just that after scoring a touchdown against St Louis.
SKY SPORT
Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea makes a throat-slitting gesture towards an opponent during their Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Melbourne Rebels.
Bryant said he meant to do a scissors motion to say “cut it out”, but did also admit that he shouldn’t have done it.
There have also been occasions in football where players have got into hot water for making the gesture.
In 2016 Werder Bremen defender Papy Djilobodji was banned for two Bundesliga matches and fined for making the gesture during a match.
The German football federation’s sports tribunal gave Djilobodji, who was on loan from Chelsea, a fine of €15,000 (NZ$25,900) for his “crass unsportsmanlike conduct.”
A regretful Djilobodji said the gesture: “belongs neither on the pitch nor outside.”
Meanwhile, in 2018 Everton’s Cenk Tosun when playing for Turkey against Tunisia in a friendly made the gesture towards his own fans.
Tosun had to be restrained by team-mates as he pointed to spectators and ran towards the grandstand. This all happened five minutes after he scored a penalty for Turkey.
Even cricket isn’t immune. Pakistan pace bowler Haris Rauf sparked controversy for doing the action in an Australian Big Bash game in 2020 when playing for the Melbourne Stars
After each of the three wickets he took against the Sydney Thunder he brought his thumb up to his throat, then made the move across.
However, it doesn’t appear that Rauf received a fine or suspension.
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