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22nd Nov 2021

Boy ‘excited’ about watching first rugby match ‘left in tears’ after he was vomited on by drunk fan

Charlie Herbert

Boy left in tears after being vomited on at Wales rugby match

He was left in ‘floods of tears’ after being covered in the fan’s vomit

A six-year-old boy who was attending his first Wales rugby match was left in “floods of tears” after being vomited on by a drunk fan sat behind him.

Joey Delaney was at the Wales vs Australia game on Saturday November 20 with his parents when a man sat behind them threw up because he was too drunk – vomiting “all down the back” of Joey.

According to the boy’s mother, Sophie, his coat, hat, scarf and seat were covered in vomit.

In a post on Facebook, she shared the experience they had, saying that Joey had all been “so excited for such an amazing day.”

Joey had been “so excited” about going to the game (credit: Sophie Delaney)

The tickets had been bought for her husband’s 40th birthday and it was Joey’s first Wales match and his first visit to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Other fans around them were quick to hand out tissues and anti-bacterial gel, with one giving young Joey their “flag, hat and scarf” and another even offering their Wales shirt.

Sophie continued: “We cleaned ourselves up as best we could and asked a steward if we could move to new seats (at this point they were very helpful and found us different seats – but I would like to point out that some of them did see us cleaning and people jumping in to help us but didn’t come over to offer any assistance or tell the man to leave).”

This is our little boy Joey, he’s 6 years old and the photo is of him yesterday in the Principality Stadium watching…

Posted by Sophie Delaney on Sunday, November 21, 2021

She went on to praise everyone else they met that day and their kind spirit, saying that “98% of people throughout the day were so amazing at making sure our son felt safe and enjoyed the experience.”

Fortunately it sounds like Joey hasn’t been left too scarred by the incident, with Sophie adding: “Luckily today Joey has focused on all the positives of the day and didn’t let that idiot ruin his experience. But that only goes to show how unbelievably amazing he is and that people like that shouldn’t have the power to taint his positive & happy spirit.”

The Welsh Rugby Union said it “was sorry to hear about the family’s experience.

“In excess of 275,000 fans have attended the Autumn Nations Series games and the vast majority of fans enjoy themselves in a responsible and considerate way.

“It is policy for our staff to intervene if people are visibly intoxicated – this happens in three main areas: The turnstiles where people can be denied entry, at the point of sale if they try and buy alcohol and in the stadium bowl.”

It added it would contact the family after reviewing the steward’s report.

Pictures courtesy of Sophie Delaney’s Facebook page

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