I don’t believe there is a single comment in here defending Pearce. Most are just making the point that both have equally bought the game into disrepute therefore similar sanctions should apply.
The other laughable thing is souffs fans trying to downplay the significance of souffs not addressing the complaint in May. Even allowing for “spam” email surely when someone makes such a claim against their players, whether they have named them or not, the club would immediately investigate given the potential consequences (now being realised). They clearly hoped it would blow over and they would sweep it under the carpet like Auvu, Arizona,Musgrove etc etc.
Wow... You're so far removed from the facts, it's not funny...
The South Sydney Rabbitohs provide the following update regarding the investigation into claims made in today's media:
- The Club's general enquiry email address received emails from an anonymous email address on 27 and 31 May 2018 about alleged lewd behaviour by a player over social media. The emails did not identify the player allegedly involved, nor did they identify the person making the complaint.
- On 1 June, the Club replied through Football Operations and Player Wellbeing Manager Brock Schaefer confirming it would investigate the complaint, requesting further information regarding the alleged incident and asking for contact details for the person making the complaint.
- The Daily Telegraph contacted the Club on the afternoon of Thursday, 13 September stating the Club had failed to respond to emails dated 5 June and 31 August regarding alleged lewd player behaviour.
- Upon receipt of the information from The Daily Telegraph, the Club engaged an independent contractor to conduct an email system audit regarding the emails sent to Mr Schaefer on 5 June and 31 August. These emails, sent again from an anonymous address, were tagged as spam due to the sender's unique email address. As per the Club's junk email filter, these emails were subsequently routed to a junk mail folder and were not received or seen by Mr Schaefer.
- Upon discovery and review of the emails on 13 September, the Club attempted to contact the complainant via an international phone number provided in these emails, but it was no longer in service. Again, the emails did not identify the player allegedly involved, nor did they identify the person making the complaint.
- The Club contacted the person making the complaint again by email on 14 September 2018 and was provided with updated contact details by her.
- Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly has had a discussion with the person making the complaint this afternoon. Mr Solly gave her a commitment that the Club would undertake its investigation of the complaint with the utmost confidentiality and respect. The Club will deal with the complaint thoroughly and will move as quickly as it possibly can to conclude the investigation.
- The Rabbitohs have appointed a panel of Commissioner Lea Drake (Independent), Karyn Murphy (NRL Integrity Unit) Nick Pappas (Rabbitohs Chairman), Emily Grant (Rabbitohs Head of Operations, People and Culture) and Mr Solly to investigate the complaint. Drake is the current Law Enforcement Conduct Commissioner for Integrity.
- The above investigation will be undertaken in conjunction and co-operation with the NRL Integrity Unit.
- The findings of the investigation will be thorough and transparent.
https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2018/09/14/rabbitohs-update-regarding-claims-in-todays-media/
They made several attempts to contact the anonymous complainant via email and the number that she provided and couldn't get through to her.
How that equates to "not addressing the complaint" and "They clearly hoped it would blow over" is a mystery to me.
They received an email. They tried to act on it at the time and hit a brick wall. They were notified again later by the media and when they tried to contact the complainant, they again hit a brick wall when the number provided was no longer in service.
I would say that every effort has been made but through a litany of unfortunate events, contact couldn't be properly established.
Stop being an absolute peanut for five seconds and take some time to look at the facts before you shoot your mouth off half cocked and make yourself look like a moron.