Latest news with #VikingHorn
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL player to blow Raiders' Viking horn in Vegas
Las Vegas Raiders player Tyler Manoa will blow Canberra's iconic Viking horn ahead of the clash against the Warriors at the NFL team's home base, Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders confirmed at their stadium walk-through on Friday (Saturday AEDT) that the defensive tackle, who has a Samoan heritage, had agreed to participate in the pre-game festivities after Dana White turned the club down. Canberra were keen to involve a Las Vegan of Pasifika heritage given the diversity of their own squad. Matt Timoko, Joe Tapine, Seb Kris and Kaeo Weekes are all regular first graders with Maori heritage, while Josh Papalii and Simi Sasagi both have Samoan roots. We're proud to announce Las Vegas @Raiders Tyler Manoa as our Viking Ambassador. He will blow the Viking Horn at @AllegiantStadm tomorrow! #WeAreRaiders #NRLVegas — Canberra Raiders (@RaidersCanberra) February 28, 2025 When UFC boss White had a prior engagement, the Raiders were hopeful of securing a player from the NFL team that inspired Canberra's nickname when the club entered the NSWRL in 1982. They had spent some $10,000 on a replica of their huge Viking horn, which is a fixture of their home games but was too delicate and large to be transported over to America. Club greats Jarrod Croker and Mal Meninga, who'd blown the horn before, were options, with both in Vegas as ambassadors this week. It's believed chief executive Don Furner was the mastermind behind securing Manoa, whom the Raiders approached partly because of his rugby background and Pasifika heritage. "We've always had a proud history of Polynesian players at our club," Furner said. The Raiders are now hard at work to find a jersey big enough for Manoa, who stands 196cm tall and weighs 141kg. Manoa, 25, has not yet made his NFL debut but played 54 games in his collegiate career between UCLA and the University of Arizona. He joined the Raiders in late 2024 after a stint in the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad. Canberra prop Papalii applauded the Raiders for selecting a player who reflected the club's strong Pasifika contingent. "It's very special. It's my identity as a Samoan and to see a fellow Samoan from Vegas it's a special milestone not only for the Canberra Raiders but the Las Vegas Raiders and Samoan people in general," he said. "It makes me feel a lot more comfortable being in Vegas. Hopefully we catch up after a good win tomorrow."
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NRL boss fires back as 17-year partnership ends due to 'tone deaf' Trump move
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has defended the league's invitation for US President Donald Trump to attend the season-opening games in Las Vegas after fresh backlash around the move. Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) chair Peter V'landys appeared on American breakfast TV recently to make a personal plea for the President to attend this weekend's Vegas spectacle after insisting it would provide the sport with exposure that 'money cannot buy'. But anti-domestic violence charity, White Ribbon, has slammed the move as being "tone deaf" and subsequently ended its 17-year partnership with the NRL. In a letter sent to league officials and seen by AAP, White Ribbon signalled an end to its partnership with the NRL that dates back to 2008 after citing the league's decision to associate with "well-known perpetrators of abuse and violence against women". The letter does not specifically reference the US President by name, but it's understood the Vegas invitation was behind the charity's bombshell decision. Mr Trump is a convicted felon and was found liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of female journalist E Jean Carroll after a civil case in 2023. He was ultimately ordered to pay the journalist and author $5 million in damages. The Canberra Raiders also approached UFC boss Dana White with an offer to blow the Viking Horn that has become a tradition before kick-off for their games. The Raiders and Sharks are set to open the NRL's new season in Vegas on Sunday morning (11am AEDT), before Cronulla take on four-time defending premiers Penrith later in the day. The UFC boss has also been embroiled in drama involving a woman after being caught on camera slapping his wife in a Mexican night club on New Year's Eve in 2022. It's understood White is unable to attend the Vegas games because of a scheduling clash, while President Trump is yet to take up the invitation from V'landys to be a special guest at the league extravaganza. Employing all his charm and natural TV presence, rugby league boss Peter V'landys begs Donald Trump to attend the NRL's Las Vegas extravaganza — australian kitsch 🦘 (@OzKitsch) February 17, 2025 Speaking in response to the boycott from White Ribbon, the NRL CEO defended the league's invitation for the American President and pointed out that the same offer was extended to former President Joe Biden last year. Mr Abdo says the NRL does not have any "affiliation" with America's political parties and suggested it was an "appropriate" way to acknowledge the NRL's international hosts and leverage the game off the enormous profile of the US leader. "We are playing this match in America, we are being hosted by America. Last year we invited (then-president) Joe Biden, this year we invited Donald Trump," NRL CEO Abdo said in Las Vegas. "That's not to say we have any political affiliation with any party. Sending an invite to the sitting president of this country is appropriate and that's what we did." The league boss was quick to stress that the NRL is still committed to equality, inclusion and stamping out violence against women. "We're about bringing people together no matter what your political beliefs, no matter your background. We're a sport for everyone, the greatest game for all," he said. White Ribbon has not worked on a campaign with the NRL since 2020 but was still listed as one of the NRL's partners on the league website. That has since been removed after a request from the charity. White Ribbon's letter also called for the invitations to be officially rescinded by the NRL and questioned whether most league fans would approve of them anyway. In a statement provided to AAP, White Ribbon chief executive Merinda March said it was "tone deaf" for the NRL to associate themselves with "well-known perpetrators" of violence against women. "While the NRL has continued to promote their association with us, this decision by the NRL is wildly misaligned with our values and lacks integrity and respect," March said. RELATED: Kevvie goes public with reveal about Walsh's daughter amid backlash Cameron Smith drops truth about Slater becoming Melb Storm coach Dylan Brown at risk of losing $6m in fresh contract twist for Eels star "We believe the fans and participants of the NRL - almost half of whom are female - deserve better. They deserve the values of respect, integrity and fair play - both on and off the field. We call on them now to appeal to the administrators of their beloved sport to represent them with these values on the world stage." The White Ribbon CEO says the charity could work with the league again "when the NRL is ready to commit to an authentic zero-tolerance stance to abuse and violence against women." with AAP
The Guardian
27-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
NRL defends its invite to Donald Trump in Las Vegas after charity backlash
The NRL has defended the decision to invite Donald Trump to its Las Vegas fixtures after an anti-domestic violence charity severed ties with the league over what it called a 'tone deaf' offer. White Ribbon penned a letter to the NRL this week that ended a partnership dating back to 2008, citing the league's decision to associate with 'well-known perpetrators of abuse and violence against women'. The letter, seen by AAP, did not specifically reference Trump, but it is understood a VIP invitation to the American president was at the centre of the charity's concerns. Trump, a convicted felon, was found liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of E Jean Carroll in a civil case in 2023 and ordered to pay the journalist and author $5m. Australian Rugby League chair Peter V'landys directly addressed Trump in a public video ahead of the league's second foray into the American market, which kicks off at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday (AEDT). 'Mr President, we want to introduce you to the toughest game on Earth, rugby league, in the world's sport and entertainment capital, Las Vegas,' V'Landys said in the video. UFC boss Dana White had also been approached by NRL club Canberra with an offer to blow the customary Viking Horn ahead of kick-off in Vegas. White was caught on camera slapping his wife in a Mexican night club on New Year's Eve in 2022. As of Wednesday evening local time, Trump had not accepted the invitation, but White is believed to be unavailable to attend because of a scheduling clash. The NRL remains hopeful Trump may still attend the four games, and was adamant it was appropriate to invite him. 'We are playing this match in America, we are being hosted by America. Last year we invited [then-president] Joe Biden, this year we invited Donald Trump,' NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said in Las Vegas. 'That's not to say we have any political affiliation with any party. Sending an invite to the sitting president of this country is appropriate and that's what we did.' Abdo insisted the NRL remained committed to inclusion. 'We're about bringing people together no matter what your political beliefs, no matter your background. We're a sport for everyone, the greatest game for all,' he said. White Ribbon and the NRL first officially partnered in 2008 under the administration of former chief executive David Gallop, but the two organisations had not undertaken work with each other since 2020. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion But the league had still listed White Ribbon as a partner on its website, which has since been removed at the request of the charity. The letter also suggested the invitations be rescinded by the NRL, flagging the league's responsibility to promote a culture of safety for its fans. It also questioned whether most NRL supporters would actually approve of the invitations. White Ribbon chief executive Merinda March told AAP in a statement that it was 'disappointing and frankly, tone deaf' for the NRL to associate themselves with 'well-known perpetrators' of violence against women. 'While the NRL has continued to promote their association with us, this decision by the NRL is wildly misaligned with our values and lacks integrity and respect,' March said. 'We believe the fans and participants of the NRL - almost half of whom are female - deserve better. They deserve the values of respect, integrity and fair play - both on and off the field. 'We call on them now to appeal to the administrators of their beloved sport to represent them with these values on the world stage.' White Ribbon is open to reactivating its partnership with the NRL in future - under one condition. 'When the NRL is ready to commit to an authentic zero-tolerance stance to abuse and violence against women, White Ribbon Australia would welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss an opportunity to collaborate on an organisation-wide intervention,' March said.
