All six referees involved in that game were subsequently unceremoniously ditched from any referee role for a week or so and moreover, no action has been taken against any of the North Queensland Cowboy coaches, officials or players who have come out into the public arena on this woeful situation.
OK, the referees have been punished. They'll come back next year. Hello! The North Queensland Cowboys were put out of the finals competition. No second chance for them, no chance to win the pennant. No pre-grand-final celebration through the streets of Sydney.
Questions relating to officials being called to account are now right and centre and an article from News.com has called for a $10,000 fine, not upon the referees, but upon the officials / organisation. (www.news.com.au)
Paul Crawley from the Daily Telegraph has pounced on this citing case after case and bringing forth a recommendation that might have the big wigs of the game hauled to account and to bear ultimate responsibility. Pigs might fly.
Many other stories
But this whole issue broaches other areas of society. Recently a young woman had been imprisoned waiting for trial for three and a half years without bail. The circumstantial evidence was strong. The bail hearing decided that it would be unwise to release her from custody and eventually the case found its way to a court case three and a half years later. The prosecutor's case fell apart. The young woman was told by the court she was free to go.
Her three and a half years in a prison situation is now before the Ombudsman but she has been told that no one in the system has a case to answer. The process was above board, it was out in the open, the fact that she was found innocent and without a case to answer does not in any way show any discrimination against her person. Hello!
Or those who I have detailed previously in this column from Griffith University Innocence Project and the dramas of being innocent and yet found guilty. And what about the classic US cases where DNA has cleared incarcerated people, some after 42 years. Hello! (au.christiantoday.com)
Recently, there was a cry for help from the Foster Care community as it was increasingly becoming difficult to place teenage girls for the fear of good decent family men being 'falsely accused' and once accused, the system takes over, and it's all over red-rover! Hello!
Does anyone take responsibility in any of these things?
The Sydney Daily Telegraph's Paul Crawley says that in Sport there should be those who need to take ultimate responsibility.
In our Westminster system such actions are expected. Politicians fall on their swords when something goes horribly wrong. Why not Rugby League officials? Why not Judges and Attorneys? Why are officials, including Church hierarchy, exempt? Hello!
Here's a suggestion - how about they go digging ditches from 8am-4.00pm for the local Shire – the Gulag experience perhaps. Or how about bringing back the stocks with rotten tomatoes at the ready.
Giving officials a free ride is increasingly encouraging a society that "disrespects" and this will lead to ….. just look at what's happening on the streets …. a lad out walking with his girl, king hit, dead! A family man similarly. Why respect any of it, it doesn't matter, the biggin's don't take responsibility either ….
Proverbs 22 verse 1 "A good name is to be chosen rather than riches" and verse 8 "He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow".
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
