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He’s called for detailed governance reports from every NRL club, but league boss David Gallop doesn’t expect to find problems. Instead, the NRL chief executive says it is just the right time to check clubs’ procedures in the wake of the latest scandal to rock embattled Cronulla.
Former Sharks chief executive Tony Zappia conceded on Tuesday he’d failed to tell his board about $30,000 in donations from secret club benefactor Clint Elford.
Police then arrested Elford and charged him with medical insurance fraud shortly after he’d met with the Sharks board, forcing Gallop to label the situation a “shemozzle”.
The NRL dragged the league’s 15 other clubs into the issue on Wednesday when they released a directive asking each to prepare a detailed report on how they handle incoming cash.
But Gallop denied the move suggested the NRL felt the problem was systemic in the game.
“I would be very surprised if there’s something of this nature,” he told AAP.
“But it’s opportune to get the clubs to look at how they account for monies received from donations or otherwise.
“Just to make sure they’ve got checks and balances in place for accounting for their money and I expect that most places will be in good shape.”
Gallop said the Sharks will deliver a report on the donations by Elford, which Zappia is reported to have placed in a secret trust fund called the Beyond Sharks Foundation.
“We’re waiting to receive a report from the Sharks board but obviously they’ll be looking to tighten up their financial practices,” Gallop said.
“But I’d expect this is pretty much a one-off.”
The NRL board also took the time on Wednesday to urge clubs to promote more women to senior roles, including board positions.
“As we prepare for the final women in league dinner with the NSW Blues this evening there has been a real spotlight placed on the achievements of women in the game,” Gallop said.
“The board is strongly of the view that there are a large number of women in corporate life who could add real value to rugby league clubs at a board level as well as in administrative roles.
“It is important going forward that the make-up of boards in some way reflects the fact that almost half the game’s fans are women.”
The NRL is trumpeting an increase in crowds and television ratings for 2009:
The league says crowds are up five per cent on the same time last year and have totalled 1,688,948 so far in 2009.It says game one of the State of Origin series reached a record average of 2.322 million viewers across the five capital cities, 177,000 better than the previous best, for game three last year.
Weekly television ratings for NRL games are up 21.7 per cent in Brisbane and and 14.2 per cent in Sydney.
And club memberships have grown 27 per cent with nine of the league’s 16 clubs achieving record numbers.
Despite the massive publicity generated by the Cronulla group sex scandal and sexual assault charges laid against Manly’s Brett Stewart earlier this year, the league also claims an increase in the number of women interested in rugby league.
“While the economic climate has been tough and while many people predicted we would see a drop in numbers, there have been a lot of positives and each week the NRL players are lifting themselves in a way that has inspired fans,” NRL chief executive David Gallop said.
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