URC asks Benetton for report into Traore incident

The United Rugby Championship has asked Benetton Treviso for a “full report” after Cherif Traore was given a rotten banana in the club’s anonymous Secret Santa gift swap.

Benetton Treviso’s squad and the player who gave him the banana have apologised after being summoned to the club’s training ground.

“Racism and discrimination of any kind are abhorrent,” said a URC statement.

“[It is] completely unacceptable in society and are utterly counter to the values of the sport of rugby and the United Rugby Championship.”

The URC said it had been contact with Benetton Rugby, who have “been asked to provide a full report on what has occurred and what meaningful action will be taken as a result”.

Benetton Rugby previously issued a statement saying they have “always condemned with the utmost firmness any expression of racism and/or form of discrimination” before calling their players to their training ground.

“The meeting was an opportunity to discuss and understand how what one of my team-mates did when exchanging Christmas presents is purely the result of idiocy and nothing other,” Traore said.

“I appreciate and accept his apology and that of the entire team. I’m happy with the gesture and I’m sure what happened will make the group even more solid.

“We are a family and as such we will continue to commit ourselves on and off the pitch, fighting, as we always have, against all forms of discrimination.”