Cowboys deny sex scandal
By Adam Gardini
July 12, 2006
NORTH Queensland yesterday publicly slammed persistent allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct by its players as a "smear campaign" designed to destabilise the club.
Smear campaign ... Cowboys boss Parr is over it. Pic: David Kapernick
In a statement issued exclusively to the Townsville Bulletin yesterday, Cowboys management, staff and players "unanimously and unequivocally" rejected the rumours as "malicious, unfounded and untrue".
The rumour mill has been in overdrive over the past month surrounding an alleged Wayne Carey-type scandal within the Cowboys ranks.
The Townsville Bulletin has also been inundated with SMS messages, letters, faxes and phone calls repeating similar allegations.
On June 30, the Bulletin informed readers the messages would not be published because the comments were unsubstantiated and defamatory.
Cowboys officials have up until now declined to comment about the rumours.
However, after overnight talks with senior management the Cowboys took the unprecedented step yesterday of issuing a public denial, with chief executive Peter Parr declaring: "Enough is enough".
"Quite clearly we think it's time to act because we believe it's a disgraceful campaign designed to destabilise the club," Parr said.
"It is now starting to affect the players in the fact that they're upset at being the topic of baseless rumours.
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"There's some good, young men at our club and they clearly don't deserve the treatment they've received over the last few weeks.
"The players are strong, they're united and they're happy in each other's company.
"But we have an obligation to support and defend our players and the players quite rightfully have expected that we will support them."
Parr said the club's decision to break its silence over the rumours had been made with the full support and consultation of all players and coaching staff.
"At every stage we've kept the players informed and we've finally agreed today that this disgraceful campaign should be exposed for what it is," he said.
"We felt that if the rumours continued it could end up having a destabilising affect on the team and take away their focus.
"We're hoping we can get on with what we've always done and that is represent the North Queensland region in the best possible fashion in the NRL.
"Our hope now is players will be galvanised by it and not distracted by it."
The club's horror mid-season form slump, in which the Cowboys suffered six straight losses before the drought was broken with an unconvincing 16-14 win over Souths a fortnight ago, appeared to only help fuel rumours of personal issues between players.
Parr strongly defended the Cowboys' on-field performances over the past two months, and in particular the effort put in by the players.
"I take exception to people that think that these players representing the North Queensland region have been losing games because they're not happy or united - that's far from the truth," Parr said.
"These blokes have tried their guts out every game and have come up short a couple of times. We understand we weren't great against South Sydney (16-14 win a fortnight ago) and in a couple of other games but there's been no lack of effort."
Club officials had quizzed the players at the centre of the rumours a couple of weeks ago and all of them denied they were true.
There have been at least three players linked to various reports of misconduct.
The club's official statement released yesterday said: "We are also pleased to confirm that the players who have been victimised by these rumours have the full confidence and support of the club and their teammates'.
"This (statement) in no way should be interpreted as the club dignifying the rumours."
Townsville Bulletin
