The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

'A Wallaby gets arrested' and other good news

4th December, 2014
Advertisement
David Pocock - someone to look up to. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith, File
Roar Pro
4th December, 2014
57
1659 Reads

Which athlete do I look up to? Easy, Roger Federer.

Not because he has won the most individual grand slam titles of any player. Nor because he is aesthetically the most fluid player I have seen play the game.

In time the pack might chase down his 17 titles, and we may yet again see a player moving with the same balance and grace as he does, but it is another, far lesser known reason that he is my favourite player of all time.

It is unrelated to his tennis abilities, and far more linked to my admiration of him as a man.

It was for the 2012 London Olympics when he was asked to carry the Swiss flag. A tremendous honour but one which he declined, citing it would underplay his teammates’ contribution (in the previous Olympics where they had won the doubles gold medal).

Along with having about the most rounded and complete game, he also has a deep-seated sense of fairness. Admirable stuff, and while I am sure many other players are just as admirable, until faced with that choice and making that hard decision, they will remain on the bench to me.

The list of people I look up to is unique. I will now add one more to that list – David Pocock.

Firstly, it is just so refreshing to hear of a sports star being arrested for ‘non-violent resistance’ rather than the, unfortunately, regular alcoholic misdemeanours that seem to be in vogue at present.

Advertisement

His arrest raises many issues regarding contractual freedoms and obligations and importantly (if unfortunately) the ARU will have the final say. Regarding Pocock’s ‘right’ to protest however, this one is pretty simple.

At the end of the day, he is completely free and right to protest whatever cause he wants to, in much the same way the ARU is perfectly free and right to pay whomever they want to, to play rugby for Australia.

But that is too simple and too complicated at the same time. Once again, this is a far cry from the usual drunken player being arrested for doing something silly. This is an issue of conscience.

Please note fellow Roarers, this is not about the relative merits of mining companies and the subsequent benefits for the economy versus the environmental and cultural degradation that may eventuate. That is a whole separate issue. This is an issue of conscience, and one that David Pocock has taken seriously enough to jeopardise his position (and paycheck) as captain of the wallabies.

His actions, respecting his own sense of justice, highlight that he believes a great injustice is taking place just outside of Canberra.

This is a man the ARU endorsed to lead the Wallabies because they, presumably, felt he exhibited the desired qualities a leader should. His courage under fire, willingness to go into contact for the good of his team and his decision-making abilities were the qualities they sought as a leader.

Funny how those same qualities are at the fore right now. In a way it is surprising more Wallabies haven’t been involved in protests and locked up in similar circumstances – perhaps it is a sign of how balanced our society is that it happens infrequently. The last time was probably the Springboks tour of ‘71.

Advertisement

In all, I feel it will be quite an about face if the ARU were to back ‘policy’ under the code of conduct and dismiss Pocock. More importantly, in terms of role models in sport, I can’t think of anybody I would prefer my not-yet-glint-in-the-eye children to look up to than someone who saw an injustice and then tried to act upon it at great potential personal cost.

David Pocock in my mind has joined that immortal list of greats of the game, a fantastic player and a person with great integrity.

Shakespeare summed it up with his usual brevity…

To be, or not to be–that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.

Standing up for what you believe in is surely one of the defining qualities of rugby, so I applaud Pocock for his stance.

Whether you agree with Pocock or not, this is certainly the best possible ‘crime’ a player in any sport could be arrested for. The incumbent wallaby captain has acted according to his own morals and ethics.

Whether the ARU honours their own remains to be seen.

Advertisement
close