Domestic violence organisation White Ribbon have sensationally cut ties with the NRL over the game's invite for both US President Donald Trump and UFC boss Dana White to this season's opening games in Las Vegas.
In what is the second of a five-year agreement, four games will be staged in Las Vegas.
As there was last year, two NRL games will headline the day, with the New Zealand Warriors to face the Canberra Raiders, and later in the day, the Penrith Panthers to face the Cronulla Sharks, while an English Super League game between the Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors, as well as a women's test between Australia and England, have also been added to the Allegiant Stadium program.
In a bid to drum up local interest, Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'Landys recently appeared on Fox News in America to invite current sitting US Preisdent Trump, while Dane White has also been invited by the Raiders to blow the viking horn before they run onto the field.
But that has prompted backlash from organisations in Australia, including White Ribbon, who condemned the decision.
They demanded the NRL remove all references to White Ribbon on its website, and the NRL have now complied with those demands.
"While the NRL continues to promote their association with us, this decision by the NRL is wildly misaligned with our values and lacks integrity and respect," White Ribbon Australia chief executive Merinda March said in a statement per the ABC.
"We have today contacted the NRL to insist they remove any reference to White Ribbon Australia from their promotional material."
Despite the backlash from the organisation, Andrew Abdo has claimed the decision to invite the controversial Trump, who has already made multiple policy changes since returning to office in January, was not unusual.
“We are playing this match in America. We're being hosted by America,” Abdo said per the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Last year we invited [former US president] Joe Biden, this year we invited Donald Trump. We invited the sitting president of the country in which we visit.
“It's not an unusual practice to do this. It's not to say we have any political affiliation with any party. We're a sport. We're about bringing people together no matter what your political beliefs, no matter what your background.
“We're a sport for everyone, for all, and I think sending an invite to the sitting president of this country is appropriate and that's what we did.”
It's understood neither Trump, who is scheduled to be elsewhere over the weekend, or White, who has a schedule clash, will be able to attend the NRL's season-opening games in Las Vegas.
