NRL 2024: Panthers star Taylan May cleared to play despite ‘stupid and utterly irresponsible’ speeding video

Ivan Cleary has cleared Panthers star Taylan May to play for the Panthers in round seven despite coming under fire for posting a video to social media of a car speeding through a residential area. WATCH THE FOOTAGE

Taylan May deleted his Instagram account after coming under fire for the controversial speeding video. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Taylan May will line-up against the Wests Tigers on Saturday after the Penrith star was embroiled in a social media controversy labelled “irresponsible and stupid”.

Earlier this month May posted a video from within a high powered sports car that was speeding through a residential area. May was not driving and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on his behalf.

However, there were some suggestions May would miss the Tigers clash as a result of the video being posted.

The club has since spoken to May over the incident and no further action will be taken.

“I’m not on social media, there is no drama there,” Cleary said on Tuesday.

It comes as the Penrith star deleted his Instagram account after footage filmed by May resurfaced on social media on Sunday showing himself in the passenger seat of an Audi sports car that clocks up to 96km/h an hour past a school and homes in a narrow street in Sydney.

May posted the video to his Instagram story more than a week ago, but the Panthers and the NRL integrity unit became aware of it on Sunday afternoon once it began to do the rounds on social media.

Taylan May has been cleared to play in round seven. Picture: NRL Photos

The act itself has been labelled “stupid” and “utterly irresponsible” by Pedestrian Council of Australia chairman and CEO Harold Scruby, who has warned behaviour like this puts lives at risk.

“The road toll is way above where it was last year,” he said on Monday.

“Yesterday, the NSW road toll hit 100, that’s one death a day approximately since the beginning of the year.

“Serious injuries are 10 times that.

“Behaviour like this is some of the reasons why the road toll is so high.

“People like this are supposed to setting an example for our children and the rest of the community are doing quite the opposite.

“It’s sad as well as being utterly irresponsible.

“In this case it’s compromising someone’s life and limb. It’s just stupid.”

PANTHERS STAR DELETES INSTAGRAM, SLAMMED FOR ‘STUPID’ SPEEDING VIDEO

Penrith star Taylan May has deleted his Instagram account while under investigation for posting “irresponsible and stupid” video from within a luxury car that was speeding dangerously through a residential area.

Footage filmed by May resurfaced on social media on Sunday showing himself in the passenger seat of an Audi sports car that clocks up to 96 kilometres an hour past a school and homes in a narrow street in Sydney.

May posted the video to his Instagram story more than a week ago, but the Panthers and the NRL integrity unit became aware of it on Sunday afternoon once it began to do the rounds on social media.

The act itself has been labelled “stupid” and “utterly irresponsible” by Pedestrian Council of Australia chairman and CEO Harold Scruby, who has warned behaviour like this puts lives at risk.

“The road toll is way above where it was last year,” he said on Monday.

“Yesterday, the NSW road toll hit 100, that’s one death a day approximately since the beginning of the year.

“Serious injuries are 10 times that.

“Behaviour like this is some of the reasons why the road toll is so high.

“People like this are supposed to setting an example for our children and the rest of the community are doing quite the opposite.

“It’s sad as well as being utterly irresponsible.

“In this case it’s compromising someone’s life and limb. It’s just stupid.”

Panthers have spoken to May about this actions, but there is no official comment from the club.

The NRL’s integrity unit is also investigating, but both are undecided how to treat the case considering May himself was not driving.

However, Scruby has offered a chance to turn an act of stupidity into a positive.

“We’re heading into walk safely to school day [on May 10],” he said.

“I’d like to know we can ask these guys to be models to how you drive through school zones, I’d like them to help spread the word about why we have to be careful in school zones, and how precious our children are.

“We need people like this to spread the word that we need to be responsible on the roads.”

Originally published as NRL 2024: Panthers star Taylan May cleared to play despite ‘stupid and utterly irresponsible’ speeding video