Rabbitohs race row
By Peter Frilingos
March 26, 2004
RUGBY league descended into further trauma last night, with South Sydney coach Paul Langmack under investigation for an alleged racial insult to Aboriginal player Owen Craigie.
The latest bombshell comes hard on the heels of the Bulldogs sexual assault inquiry and drugs testing scandal.
Craigie claims Langmack insulted him over his weight and his colour during a training session at Cranbrook late last year.
Langmack denies the claim but Craigie says he told senior player Terry Hill at the time before deciding not to take the matter any further.
Craigie changed his mind yesterday and employed high profile solicitor Chris Murphy to take action against Langmack and Souths.
Souths board discussed the claim during a lengthy meeting at Souths Leagues Club last night before forming a special sub-committee to handle the affair.
That sub-committee headed by Rabbitohs chairman Nicholas Pappas and chief executive David Tapp will meet this morning in a bid to conciliate the issue with Langmack and Craigie. Other members of the committee are club directors Sol Bellear, Ray Martin and Nick Greiner.
Before last night's board meeting Craigie confirmed that he intended to take action against Langmack. "I don't like what Paul has been saying to me and I've decided to do something about it," Craigie said.
"That's all I want to say, you'll have to talk to my solicitor Chris Murphy."
Club sources say Craigie will claim he was called "a fat black c . . ." by Langmack. In recent seasons Craigie has had trouble controlling his weight and is currently trying to get it down to an acceptable level.
Mr Pappas said there was an allegation brought to the board's attention last night.
"It was by Owen Craigie in relation to words allegedly said within his earshot by Paul Langmack," he said.
"The allegation, we understand, is vehemently denied by Paul Langmack. The sub-committee has been formed for the purpose of hearing the conflicting accounts and reaching a position on the matter.
"South Sydney absolutely abhors any suggestion of racial vilification or any display of intolerant behaviour on the basis of racial grounds. One of our great inner-strengths is our close bonds with the indigenous community, we are a truly multicultural club.
Langmack said last night he couldn't believe the claims being made against him.
"It's come as a complete shock to me, I haven't said anything detrimental to Owen," he said.
"As recently as last week in Souths Leagues Club I told Owen we desperately needed him back in first grade once he got himself fit.
"There didn't seem to be a problem then. I really can't understand where he's coming from."
This is the second time Craigie has complained about racial vilification.
In 1997 when he was playing for Newcastle he complained about comments made by North Sydney's Chris Caruana who was later fined and dropped from first grade.
Then following year Canterbury's Barry Ward was fined $10,000 by the NRL's racial vilification tribunal after a complaint from St George's Anthony Mundine. The fine was later reduced to $5000 on appeal.
The NRL has had an anti-discrimination policy in place for nearly a decade.
:lol:
