Malaysia-based photographer Faiz Azizan has accepted an apology from All Blacks Sonny Bill Williams after he unknowingly posted a picture taken by Faiz without his permission.
The story was widely covered around the media world especially in New Zealand, as the All Blacks are under the microscope, especially during a Rugby World Cup Year.
Williams had earlier questioned why the pictures that showed him and a fellow Muslim All Black, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, praying at the first Rugby World Cup game against South Africa was removed.
Photo: Getty Images
When contacted, Faiz Azizan clarified, “It wasn’t because of religion but more to copyright and I have since spoken to the photographer of the All Blacks and Ofa Tu’ungafasi himself as I do not see this as a big issue.”
Sonny Bill Williams has since posted a public apology to Faiz on Tuesday as he didn’t know that the picture he received had the watermark cropped out.
The All Black player converted to Islam in 2008 while playing in France and Ofa Tu’ungafasi converted earlier this year, just after the Christchurch shooting massacre.
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