Scott Bolton’s reputation left hanging by NRL as process takes over
BEFORE now, the biggest headline Scott Bolton generated was about a fishing accident. Now he is the face of NRL’s latest scandal. But if he is innocent, as he has said, what is wrong with declaring it, asks PAUL KENT.
Opinion
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SCOTT Bolton’s face was across every television in every airport on Monday morning.
Long distance commuters walked past and most looked up and saw another NRL player in trouble.
It was on every bulletin in every home. Radio on the hour.
Bolton’s face sat under newspaper mastheads. Got splashed across internet homepages.
Alerts beeped on phones.
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Before Monday, the biggest headline Bolton ever generated was about a fishing accident that saw him miss a few games.
Now he is the face of rugby league’s latest scandal.
By then, the gravest words an NRL player can hear had already been put out for public consumption.
“The club is co-operating with police in their investigation of the matter and have informed the NRL Integrity Unit.”
They are cut and paste words, a sentence that falls on dull ears. What makes this any different to any other incident, given its wording, when we are led to believe all are treated differently?
And, in instances like this current one, if what the Cowboys privately insist is true, they are doing Bolton and the North Queensland Cowboys and rugby league a great disservice.
What if Bolton is completely innocent? Or there was some misunderstanding?
There is only one eyewitness to what happened. He is a Cowboys’ official.
He shoots straight and has been around long enough to know life within the NRL is not all softness and light.
He saw a woman sitting on a lounge talking on her mobile phone when Bolton, drunk, plonked down beside her.
He went down heavily, as drunken men often do.
The woman bounced and gave a look of disgust and got up and walked away as Bolton flings a hand.
That will all come down to interpretation.
Being drunk is not an offence. Nor is invading somebody’s personal space, as uncomfortable as that can sometimes be.
Shortly after, Bolton was told a complaint was made.
The Cowboys are stunned by the allegation.
All this will be decided more formally in court. Bolton was charged with indecent assault and faces Waverley Local Court on June 19.
But if Bolton is innocent, as he has told his club who have no doubt informed the NRL, what is wrong with declaring it?
“I am innocent and I intend to vigorously fight the allegations.”
Refusing to comment, according to protocol, while the club co-operates with the Integrity Unit who attack the claims at snail-pace only leads to muddy speculation.
The codes are in a fight for reputation.
The AFL is currently dealing with the fallout of allegations against Port Adelaide’s Sam Powell-Pepper after a woman alleged she was sexually assaulted in a nightclub.
Power officials examined the CCTV and witnessed nothing concerning.
“That touching was a long, long way away from sexual assault,” Power chief executive Kewith Thomas said.
The AFL eventually suspended Powell-Pepper for three games for “conduct unbecoming an AFL player”, a charge Power chairman David Koch slammed as “railroading” Powell-Pepper in an attempt to rebuild its own reputation.
What damage to its reputation did the AFL have to rebuild?
Details had emerged that the AFL had paid hush money to a young Fremantle staff member after she complained she was sexually harassed by a club staff member.
AFL boss Gill McLachlan confirmed the payment while defending the AFL’s use of hush money.
“All I can say on that is ... we are entirely comfortable with what’s happened at Fremantle,” McLachlan said.
“Our integrity unit has looked at it and ruled out imposing any sanction.
“What the core part of the policy is ... is actually resolving the issue between the complainant and the person who they are making the allegation against.”
It later emerged the AFL figure was Fremantle coach Ross Lyon. No insignificant figure.
How much the woman was paid, and the exact nature of the alleged harassment, is unknown.
It was the first confirmation that hush money is part of the process in AFL.
So far, no evidence has emerged showing the NRL pays hush money.
But as the Cowboys wait for the NRL Integrity Unit to complete its investigation, while the NRL Integrity Unit waits for the court to go through its process, a man who maintains his innocence remains open to the innuendo and speculation it causes and cannot defend himself against it.
Originally published as Scott Bolton’s reputation left hanging by NRL as process takes over
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