Latest news with #AlevKelter
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Australian rugby officials 'stunned' by Kelter suspension
The US women's rugby team will be without one of its key players for this weekend's Pacific Four clash against the Black Ferns following a judicial ruling. US centre Alev Kelter has been handed a three-match ban for stomping on the head of her Australian opposite in the Wallaroos' win. But many believe Kelter should be spending more time on the sidelines. Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
News.com.au
21-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
USA star learns fate after stomping on head of Wallaroos player
American rugby sevens star Alev Kelter has learnt her fate after brutally stomping on the head of an Australian player in an act of 'thuggery' on Saturday. Kelter, a three-time Olympian and Paris bronze medallist, was shown a red card in the 79th minute of the Wallaroos' 27-19 win in Canberra during the Pacific Four tournament. Watch The UEFA Women's Champions League Final LIVE on Kayo Sports | Arsenal vs Barcelona Sunday 25 May 2am AEST | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. The USA centre was tackled by Australia's Georgie Friedrichs who then held onto her left leg. In an attempt to escape her grip, Kelter stamped down five times with her right boot, twice making contact with Friedrichs' head and twice with her arms and upper body, the Aussie somehow escaping serious injury. Watch the headstomp in the video above The incident marred the Wallaroos' victory with Kelter being handed a three match ban following an independent disciplinary committee hearing. Kelter was shown a permanent red card by the referee rather than a 20-minute one, due to the deliberate foul play. 'Because this is thuggery, it is deliberate and it is very dangerous foul play,' she said. 'She's clearly stamped on the head of the Australian player. That's reckless, that's dangerous and she's going off.' Kelter was also involved in another incident throughout the contest and was reportedly distraught after the game. But she did not visit the Australian sheds to check on Friedrichs, with only USA coach and former Wallaroos assistant Sione Fukofuka, making the visit. 'I have only seen it once – it's not nice for the game,' Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp said post-game. 'I have already had the USA apologise and check on 'GFred' (Friedrichs). So we will wait and they (World Rugby) will review it.' Kelter can count herself lucky after many believed the incident could have resulted in a ban of 12 or more matches due to past suspensions for stomping on the head being graded 'high-range'. As an example, Fijian prop Manasa Saulo and Wales lock Ian Evans copped initial suspensions of 16 games for stomping on a rival's head a decade ago, before appealing them down to 10 and 12 matches respectively. Kelter is a key member of the USA side and her absence could cost them dearly in the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup, where England, Australia and USA share a pool and only two nations can advance.
1News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- 1News
'Thuggery': US women's rugby player suspended for Black Ferns test
United States women's rugby star Alev Kelter has been handed a three-match ban for stamping on the head of an opponent in a test match against Australia. Kelter, a three-time US Olympic representative in rugby sevens, was sent off in the 79th minute of the Pacific Four Series match on Saturday after the referee reviewed footage showing Kelter stamping forcefully on the head of Australia centre Georgie Friedrichs. In comments captured by television microphones, referee Aimee Barrett-Theron said Kelter would be getting a red card "because this is thuggery, it is deliberate and it is very dangerous foul play". Kelter appeared in front of a three-person panel at a disciplinary committee hearing on Tuesday and accepted she committed an act of foul play, World Rugby said in a statement. The committee accepted, however, evidence provided by Kelter that she did not intend to contact the head of Friedrichs. "The committee found that the player was not deliberately targeting the head of the Australian player," World Rugby said, "but rather was reckless in her actions (as she accepted). "The contact to the head was glancing or grazing rather than direct and targeted." The committee applied a six-match ban that was reduced to three matches because of mitigating circumstances, such as her disciplinary record, early acknowledgment of foul play and clear remorse. Kelter will be suspended for the test against New Zealand in the Pacific Four Series on Saturday, as well as two matches for US club Bay Breakers. Kelter won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics last year. She previously played ice hockey and soccer for the University of Wisconsin.
ABC News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
American rugby player Alev Kelter handed three-game ban for stamping on Wallaroo's head
United States centre Alev Kelter has been banned for three matches for her ugly head stomp on her Wallaroos opposite during Australia's Pacific Four win in Canberra. The former ice hockey and soccer player was sent off late in the Wallaroos' 27-19 win for an act which referee Aimee Barrett-Theron labelled "thuggery". A three-time Olympian who won bronze for the American sevens team in Paris last year, Kelter took a hit-up and then stamped repeatedly with her boot on Georgina Friedrichs's head as she was clinging to her other leg. On Tuesday, Kelter appeared before an independent disciplinary committee in New Zealand, where the US will face the Black Ferns in the next round. Kelter told the committee, chaired by Michael Heron KC (New Zealand) and former international players Becky Essex (England) and Ofisa Tonu'u (New Zealand), she accepted she had committed an act of foul play and that the referee's decision to award a red card was correct. The committee, however, accepted Kelter's evidence she did not intend to contact the head and her act was reckless rather than deliberate. The three-game ban rules her out of the last round of the Pacific Four and two club games with her Bay Breakers team back in the USA. AAP
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
US centre Alev Kelter receives three-match ban for stamping on head
United States women's centre Alev Kelter. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / United States women's centre Alev Kelter was handed a lenient three-match suspension on Tuesday after receiving a red card for stamping on the head of Australia's Georgina Friedrichs during Saturday's Pacific Four Series clash in Canberra. The Wallaroos claimed their first win 27-19 over the US on home soil, with the match soured by Kelter's actions. Kelter was shown a straight red for repeatedly stomping on the head of Friedrichs, who was trying to complete a tackle. The 34-year-old accepted that she had committed an act of foul play and that the referee's decision to award a red card was correct. "The independent Disciplinary Committee determined that full mitigation was appropriate, resulting in a final sanction of three matches to be applied," World Rugby said in a statement. "On careful review of the footage, and considering the player's evidence and submission, the Committee found that the player was not deliberately targeting the head of the Australian player, but rather was reckless in her actions (as she accepted)." Kelter has the right to appeal the ban within 48 hours. However, it is on the low end of potential sanction, with mid-range reckless or dangerous play resulting in at least six-match bans up to a maximum of 52 matches. Australian media had expected a much longer ban for Paris Games bronze medallist Kelter, with some describing her actions as 'thuggery,' while others speculated she could miss part of the Women's Rugby World Cup later this year in England. Kelter will miss the US's next Pacific Four Series match against the Black Ferns and two Women's Elite Rugby matches for her club Bay Breakers on 7 and 14 June. -Reuters
