British & Irish Lions Players Set To Assemble Social Media ‘Committee’

The British & Irish Lions will allow a “committee” of players to produce a social-media policy for the squad during their tour to New Zealand this summer.

It was revealed by The Telegraph last month that there will be no blanket ban on social media for players as has been the case with some professional rugby squads in the past.

Speaking at the Telegraph Business of Sport conference, Lions chief operating officer Charlie McEwen said:

“The team will have a social media and content committee. Made up of players. Absolutely 100 per cent.
“From a British & Irish Lions perspective, we’ll be putting content out there every single day that will be telling a story, but we’ll get the support from the players to make sure that what we put out is what they want us to put out.
“Equally, we’ll look to them, through their own channels and own networks, to manage what they’re doing for themselves.”

The original Lions contract sent out to the players ahead of the squad announcement contained a clause prohibiting players from using any form of social media during any of the tour’s 10 matches.

It later emerged however, that clause, already used by some clubs and national sides to cover the 36 hours before and after a match, would be invoked only in extreme circumstances unless the players themselves under captain Sam Warburton decided otherwise.

The squad received a “social media pack” including guidelines about not publishing any sensitive squad information, such as injuries, before they are publicly announced, or making negative comments about opposition players, coaches or match officials.

[Telegraph]

 

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