Today’s face of the day Sonny Bill Williams won’t wear the Super League’s chief sponsor due to his religious beliefs. This is not the first time that he has thumbed his nose at his sport’s sponsors.
Prime Minister BIll English says it is “hard to understand” why Sonny Bill Williams covered up a bank sponsor’s logo during Saturday night’s Super Rugby match between the Blues and the Highlanders.
[…] Williams used plaster tape to cover the BNZ’s logo on both sides of his jersey collar as he played his first game of 15s since the 2015 World Cup final when the Blues lost to the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday night.
“Sonny Bill Williams has lodged a conscientious objection with New Zealand Rugby in his contract to finance companies, banks, alcohol companies, tobacco companies and gambling companies,” NZ Rugby confirmed in a statement.
stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/91394178/prime-minister-bill-english-criticises-sonny-bill-williams-decision-to-cover-up-sponsors-logo
The rationale given when it happened for the first time in 2017 was that Williams had taken a religious stand on the issue of banks charging interest and fees on loans because of his Islamic faith. Interestingly he didn’t seem to have any problem playing with BNZ as a sponsor when he played for the Chiefs several years after he became a Muslim.
If you enjoyed this BFD face of the day please consider sharing it with your friends.