- Andrew Abdo has described the rape claims against a player in Queensland.
- Serious claims against the first women’s State of Origin match are being looked into by Queensland police and the NRL.
- The player will be automatically suspended from the League if they are charged, but they will still be able to play.
Andrew Abdo, the chief executive of the NRL, has described the rape claims against a player based in Queensland as “very serious” and initiated ongoing investigations into the “complex” issue.
After filing a complaint with the police, the player and a woman who had been drinking a lot complained about being sexually assaulted online. The inquiries are still in progress.
Queensland police and NRL
Serious claims against the first women’s State of Origin match are being looked into by Queensland police and the NRL integrity unit. Speaking to the media, Abdo said that they are investigating the claims with appropriate parties and that they take the accusations seriously.
He conveyed his regret at the news, saying that they have procedures in place to handle instances like this and that they will address the details as soon as they obtain more information.
Charges may be delayed due to a case’s complexity, according to Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski. The player will be automatically suspended from the League if they are charged, but they will still be able to play.
Five years into their careers, athletes accused of major crimes carrying a maximum sentence of eleven years or more are too young to be subject to the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy. Saying that it was premature to put the policy into effect, Gollschewski said he would only address the matter after all the information was in.
