Toowoomba Rugby League tribunal hands down results of investigation into alleged racial slur at match

The punishment of a man who racially abused an Indigenous player at a Toowoomba Rugby League match has been revealed at a press conference on Friday.

A man who hurled a racially offensive slur at an Indigenous player during a Toowoomba Rugby League match has been banned from taking part in all rugby league for 10 years.

The league’s disciplinary tribunal handed down the punishment on Thursday, after the person involved pleaded guilty to conduct which was likely to bring the game into disrepute and breaching any material terms of the NRL Code of Conduct.

The incident took place during an A Grade TRL match on August 7 between Pittsworth and Gatton with the person, believed to be a Pittsworth Rugby League club official, caught on the audio of the video recording of the match telling “shut up you b — c—”.

TRL chairman Joe Hannant said at the disciplinary tribunal hearing the person pleaded guilty to both charges and read a prepared statement, where he made an “unreserved apology to the clubs, the TRL, the QRL and the game of rugby league”.

“As a result of the guilty charge, the person has been excluded from rugby league for a period of ten years,” Mr Hannant said.

“The tribunal also ruled the individual will be required to complete a cultural awareness program as nominated by the Queensland Rugby League Indigenous Advisory Committee prior to returning to the game.

“It’s an unprecedented term, but we can’t walk away from the racial content and we don’t tolerate anything like that. It's distressing for everyone. In this day and age there’s just no tolerance for this type of behaviour.”

The 10 year ban excludes the person from taking part in any form of rugby league, from attending an NRL match to taking part in junior rugby league.

Mr Hannant said the tribunal noted the “significant distinction” between generic offensive language and language that contains racial elements, and also considered the person’s previous involvement in the game, their “general good standing” in the local community and their remorse.

“While the tribunal’s ruling sends a very clear message that any form of racism or vilification will not be tolerated, it’s important that we all use this unfortunate incident as the catalyst to learn and grow together as a game and community,” he said.

“I note the educational program that is attached to the tribunal’s ruling, and this is an area the TRL is prepared to invest in to ensure all of our participants can enjoy the game they love.”

QRL Indigenous Advisory Committee co-chair Eddie Monaei (left) and TRL Chairman Joe Hannant. Toowoomba Rugby League hand down findings from disciplinary tribunal. Friday, August 19, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

QRL Indigenous Advisory Committee co-chair Edward Monaei said that racist incidents “happen everywhere”, but the QRL has worked hard to manage poor behaviour of people within the game.

“We acknowledge what was done was wrong, it has no place in the 21st century in our game,” he said.

“The way forward is the way we come together as a community and as a game. From a QRL perspective we will support our regional clubs to make sure they have that education particularly around our reconciliation action plan, which is steeped in changing the cultural mindset of our people.

“Any sort of training and support we can do internally to build the capability of our clubs at a regional level is what we will do. We will put in place those mechanisms to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives identity and culture is represented, and embedded into our culture moving forward in the regions.”

Mr Hannant said while the incident was inexcusable, it was an opportunity to address their response and handling of racist incidents.

“As a local league we’ve already thought about a way forward and how we can address and manage this better,” he said.

“There’s a lot of work being done at the QRL level and also that is going to continue at that level. Across our community as a whole it highlights what’s still happening out there, and how we can educate people.

“If you’re at a game and you see some bad behaviour pull it up, say something. I think a lot of stuff doesn’t get reported, people tolerate it, and that’s a key area we need to improve.”

Originally published as Toowoomba Rugby League tribunal hands down results of investigation into alleged racial slur at match