- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Chief executive David Gallop will contact sponsors of the NRL to reaffirm the code’s commitment to cleaning up the sport in the wake of more damning allegations against players.
Gallop vowed to weed out the players who continued to transgress the high standards being sought by the NRL in relation to player behaviour and respect towards woman.
Gallop addressed the media on Tuesday after ABC’s Four Corners program screened a report on several rugby league sex scandals on Monday night and he admitted much of what was aired was “fundamentally indefensible”.
Gallop said a major sponsor had expressed concerns about poor player behaviour after the start of the season was littered with misdemeanours.
The NRL has since taken a harsher stance on player behaviour resulting in the handing out of suspensions.
Gallop said he hopes no sponsors walk away from the game following the recent allegations.
“I certainly hope not, but I’ve got no doubt that they will be sitting back and watching the reaction,” said Gallop.
“They want to see that we are taking these matters seriously, and I can, with confidence, say we are treating them very seriously and we have treated them very seriously in the past.
“We certainly need to speak to our sponsors.
“Our clubs and our players are acutely aware that this kind of issue damages those commercial relationships.
“Our sponsors, I think, accept that from time to time we will have to deal with off field behaviour, but they want to see that dealt with appropriately and certainly part of the reason that the sort of programs that I have talked about are in place are to give our sponsors some confidence that we are not turning a blind eye to these issues.”
The NRL has a commitment from Telstra as the competition’s major sponsor until the end of 2012.
Comment was being sought from Telstra.
The NRL has re-signed five sponsors over the past 12 months and is currently in negotiations with several prospective sponsors.
Gallop said he couldn’t put a financial value on how damaging the scandals are to the code.
“It is too difficult to measure, but I have got no doubt it does do us damage, not only with our big commercial partners but also with ordinary Australians who love rugby league,” he said.
“It damages the game, at the top level, in the key commercial relationships that we have, but just as importantly it damages the reputation of the game with mums and dads and kids who love following rugby league.”
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.