Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) major sponsor for match officials of the PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) condemned violence against referees and touch judges at the Port Moresby rugby League preliminary finals.
In the A Grade match, Hohola Flies were leading Brothers 18-14 when the incident happened three minutes before full time.
MVIL has denounced the violence against match officials and called on PNGRFL to take appropriate actions in imposing strict penalties on those involved.
MVIL Managing Director, Michael Makap, said the match officials are human beings who deserve to be treated with decency and respect. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the game is played in a spirit of good competition and fairness.
“Secondly, the match officials who were assaulted in this PNGRFL-sanctioned match had MVIL-branded uniforms the attack on the officials is an indirect attack on MVIL,” he said.
During his opening speech before the 2021 Digicel Cup grand final match, Makap reaffirmed that MVIL will not tolerate any form of violence against match officials and condemned such behaviour as a sponsor and avid supporter of the sport.
He’s formally written to the PNGRFL to provide a written response on how the organisation is handling the matter and its strategies to protect match officials in future matches.
Makap added that the rugby league body should impose life bans on those involved to show that there is no place for violence in the sport and as a stark reminder to those taking part in the league.
While MVIL stands together with PNGRFL match officials against this senseless behaviour, the company will reconsider its future sponsorship in due course.