Matabele
Journey Man
Dear Mr Gallop
Please find attached a petition currently containing the signatures of more than 650 people. These people have all pledged to boycott the sponsors of any product advertised during broadcasts of the coming NRL season until the NRL takes a reasonable and conciliatory stance towards Brett Stewart.
David Gallop and the NRL continue to suggest that the four week suspension given to Brett Stewart, and the $100,000 fine imposed on the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in 2009 were imposed because he was intoxicated. Leave aside the many subsequent instances of players in an intoxicated state not suffering a similar fate, this premise has been clearly established in a court of law to be false. During Brett Stewart' trial last year, where he was found innocent of all charges, it was clearly testified, from several attending police officers, that he was not visibly intoxicated - demolishing the argument that the NRL and David Gallop continue to put forward.
We don't think that Benji Marshall should be suspended because when Gallop and the NRL suspended Brett Stewart for 'drunkenness' and bringing the game into disrepute they were wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right, but what does need to happen is the mistake made in dealing with Stewart and Manly in the first instance needs to be corrected.
What Gallop and the NRL need to do is:
1. admit their mistake in suspending Brett Stewart despite clear police testimony that he was not intoxicated on the night in question;
2. apologise to Brett Stewart and compensate him for the damage to his reputation inflicted by the erroneous suspension.
3. repay the $100,000 fine to the Manly club, with interest.
Until this happens the signatories to the petition will continue to boycott any product associated with the NRL, and will use social networking to spread news of their boycott, the products involved, and why.
Yours sincerely
Please find attached a petition currently containing the signatures of more than 650 people. These people have all pledged to boycott the sponsors of any product advertised during broadcasts of the coming NRL season until the NRL takes a reasonable and conciliatory stance towards Brett Stewart.
David Gallop and the NRL continue to suggest that the four week suspension given to Brett Stewart, and the $100,000 fine imposed on the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in 2009 were imposed because he was intoxicated. Leave aside the many subsequent instances of players in an intoxicated state not suffering a similar fate, this premise has been clearly established in a court of law to be false. During Brett Stewart' trial last year, where he was found innocent of all charges, it was clearly testified, from several attending police officers, that he was not visibly intoxicated - demolishing the argument that the NRL and David Gallop continue to put forward.
We don't think that Benji Marshall should be suspended because when Gallop and the NRL suspended Brett Stewart for 'drunkenness' and bringing the game into disrepute they were wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right, but what does need to happen is the mistake made in dealing with Stewart and Manly in the first instance needs to be corrected.
What Gallop and the NRL need to do is:
1. admit their mistake in suspending Brett Stewart despite clear police testimony that he was not intoxicated on the night in question;
2. apologise to Brett Stewart and compensate him for the damage to his reputation inflicted by the erroneous suspension.
3. repay the $100,000 fine to the Manly club, with interest.
Until this happens the signatories to the petition will continue to boycott any product associated with the NRL, and will use social networking to spread news of their boycott, the products involved, and why.
Yours sincerely