Written by In the final chapter of the sexual assault case referred to in two previous articles; “Where There’s Smoke? Or … Unwitting Target?” and “… And as the Smoke Clears, the Vision Becomes Clear?“, Crown prosecutor Craig Everson officially withdrew five sexual assault charges against the NRL forward Jack de Belin and his friend and fellow footballer Callan Sinclair in court on Friday, May 28.
What the court had not expected was for this news to have been expressed to the media 24 hours prior to the decision being officially reached in court. In a blatant breach and exhibiting a clear disrespect for protocol and due process, de Belin’s legal team had leaked the information to sources at the Daily Telegraph. Judge Dina Yehia described this act as a “discourtesy to the court” and it is sadly indicative of the general issues involved in this case.
de Belin and Sinclair consistently maintained their innocence during their trial, saying that they engaged in a consensual threesome with a nineteen-year-old woman after the trio met on the dancefloor Wollongong bar.
de Belin played his last game for the St. George Illawarra Dragons on September 15, 2018 before he was stood down under the NRL’s no-fault rule, under which anyone charged with a crime that carries a sentence of 11 years or more is not allowed to take the field. De Belin has the dubious honor of being the first player to be affected by this rule. NRL chief executive officer Andrew Abdo said de Belin would be permitted to play providing the charges against him were officially dropped.
So now the pair are officially exonerated, and no further action will be taken, that’s wonderful for them, particularly if innocent. de Belin will be well looked after and everyone will commiserate with him over the loss of those years while he was in prime form. That sympathy and his potential new $800 000 contract will help him to get over this trauma I’m sure.
NRL’s stand-down rule, implemented to protect the integrity of the game, has at least not been relaxed for higher-level players:
“The no-fault rule protected the game’s commercial interests” … Mr de Belin’s case was proof that “our process is working”. “It was found that this no-fault stand-down policy was fair and reasonable and is in the best interests of the game.” “As far as I know, there will be no review of this policy.” – Andrew Abdo
But even though he was at least allowed to train with his teammates while he was stood down, the media are still keenly focused on the fact that “… the case has taken a toll on his career.”
It is unfortunate though at the end of the day, that lessons are not being learned, the media and de Belin supporters are still bemoaning his losses and reminding us that he was on the verge of an Australian jersey before this ‘happened to him’.
Callan Sinclair has also had sexual assault charges against him dropped, we hear less of him and his career though primarily because he is the lesser player. I fact the only one we hear even less about is the woman who pressed the charges, right, wrong, or wronged against, she will be needing support but is likely to be eternally thought of as the woman who wilfully impeded the career of a great footballer.
So, what have we learned? Have girls and women learned to be more judicious in who they spend time alone with? Have boys and men learned to be more respectful in the way they regard and treat women? Have the clubs learned that their culpability lies beyond their policies to the culture they engender among their teams and throughout the whole code? With sporting clubs and identities being such visible and influential entities, they are able to drive better behavior and ideals among those that would see them as role models. This is how the culture in sports can impact on the culture of society.
NRL 2021: Jack de Belin’s charges officially dropped as judge slams leak (theaustralian.com.au)