But Is It " Justice " ?

The Rugby League football competition in Australia was constantly wracked by bad publicity caused by its players coming into conflict with the law.  The stars of the game were paid big money and were " celebrities " in the public view.  All too often they made newspaper headlines because of drunken brawls in clubs, domestic violence or dangerous driving  actions.

The combined clubs devised a novel punishment.  Should a player bring discredit on the game he would be stood down and not allowed to play until the matter was settled in court.  Not only would he lose audience adulation but his bank balance would also suffer.  Players salaries depend on the actual time they are competing on the field.

Then two years ago St George Illawarra star Jack De Belen and his friend, Shellharbour Sharks player Callan Sinclair were engaged in a " pub crawl " in Wollongong to celebrate grand final night when they encountered at nineteen year old woman in a nightclub. Later, she accompanied them to a nearby apartment where two disputed versions of events took place. They claim they both had consensual sex with her and she claims they raped her.

Despite repeated delays, that trial took place in a Wollongong court and this week the jury was dismissed when it failed to reach either a unanimous verdict or majority verdict.   If the matter goes to a retrial that can not be held in Wollongong into next August and De Belin's life will have been on hold for over three years.

De Belen (29) and Mr Sinclair (23) are accused of a very serious crime but guilt has yet to be determined in court.   Both men are free on bail, but as professional rugby players this club ban has  them as financially incarcerated as if they were in prison.  The ban is peculiar to Rugby League and no change seems contemplated despite the long delay in settling this case.

Jack De Belen is suffering loss even though he remains unconvicted. and that is solely because he plays football for a living.  Had he been a bus driver or a bank employee or any of a dozen other professions he would still be working at his job and getting his weekly pay packet.    In the eyes of many people, this is an unusual punishment that strays far from the concept of delivering " justice ".

The " playing life " of a Rugby player is usually limited by the injuries suffered.  The stars earn their top money from crowd adulation and there is a time limit during which their performance brings both media billing and premium pay from game officials.  It seems Jack De Belen is serving a sentence imposed by the club which may not be vindicated by the final outcome decided in a court of law.

In this Rugby League world, punishment is meted out on the basis of innuendo rather than what is actually proven.  It was thought that such matters might result in a player stood down for a game or two and the financial loss would consequently be small.  The League bosses are now embarrassed by how this case has turned out, but are declining to make changes because of the loss of face they would suffer.

It seems that when this is finally over, it opens the door for further legal action to determine if the League action falls within the tenet of " justice "  !