CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Tonight’s Round 4 NRL match between the Penrith Panthers and the Manly Sea Eagles is at risk of being called off, after several international human rights groups have voiced their intention to intervene.
Amnesty International, Red Cross and the United Nations Human Rights Commission have all released statement condemning the NRL’s decision to let a lacklustre Manly side attempt to play football against the Penrith boys for 80 minutes this evening at Carrington Park in the NSW Central West.
The United Nations has sent peacekeeping troops to Bathurst this afternoon, to take part in the first international operation since their deployment mission to the Central African Republic in December.
A farewell ceremony was held on March 30th at the military barracks in Geneva in the presence of top leaders and Western military attaches.
The unit will be deployed following a request from the Bathurst local council, who despite the economic benefits that come from hosting a first-grade NRL match in their town, are growing concerned that they don’t have enough room in the mortuary cool-room to house all of the bodies that are going to be left on the field.
António Guterres, the current Secretary-General of the UN, has released a statement earlier today demanding that the NSW State Government intervene and prevent the NRL from allowing the match to take place.
“The Panthers toppled the 2020 Premiers last weekend in a grand final rematch” said Guterres.
“And Manly lost to the embattled dirty merger club known as the St George Illawarra Dragons”
“We all know what the result of this match is going to be. And we all know this is going to be a blood bath”
Guterres said if NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian would not intervene, then the UN would deploy their troops to the streets of the violent rural town.
“This is a clear human rights violation in the making. This match must not go ahead.” he said.
“Any Manly fans that think their boys are in with a shot are delusional idiots. They should be joining us in our calls to have this match struck off with an asterisk”
The UN’s lightly armed peacekeeping operation is expected to include 5,000 troops and 3,000 reservists.
They will be heavily supported by the local Bathurst police.
