http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhqnews/gallop-calls-for-zappias-head/2009/06/07/1244313034472.html
Gallop calls for Zappia's head
Jacquelin Magnay | June 8, 2009
IN an explosive development that has rocked the NRL, a recording emerged throwing new light on the circumstances surrounding the $20,000 payout to former Cronulla employee Jenny Hall.
In a dramatic tape recording, played on Channel Seven News last night, Cronulla chief executive Tony Zappia tries to blame a wall for the severe facial bruising suffered by Hall and then he attempts to appease her by showing her pornography on his work computer. He also refuses to allow her to take sick leave.
Another Sharks employee, Zappia's assistant, is heard in that same meeting between Zappia and Hall and reveals she also received pornography from another employee. Zappia is heard laughing about it. The recording follows revelations in the
Herald last month that the Cronulla club had an unsavoury culture in its attitudes towards women. At the time the NRL conducted an investigation but found there was no evidence to support those claims. The NRL said the club officials denied key claims made in the
Herald.
However, last night the NRL called on the Cronulla board to act swiftly in light of the new evidence. The airing of the tape has come at the worst possible time for the NRL, with this week devoted to promoting "women in league". The Sharks board and officials, many of whom had watched the Channel Seven report in the official function, were too busy celebrating just their third win of the season to make a decision last night.
Bizarrely, AC/DC's song
Highway to Hell was playing in the background.
NRL chief executive David Gallop said the Sharks board had to take strong, swift action and demand Zappia's resignation. "The emergence of new and damaging information that was not available to the NRL, nor it is understood the Cronulla board, at the time the matter was last reviewed necessitates a swift response from the club," Gallop said.
"The NRL is on record as saying that it would review any new information that came to light. As much as Ms Hall has previously refused to discuss the matter with us, the tape aired tonight certainly provides that.
"If the tape is a faithful recording it would be difficult to see how the club could not take the strongest action possible. We will seek an urgent response from the board." Channel Seven News said it had obtained a copy of the secret recording of the meeting between Hall, Zappia and the assistant as well as the copy of the pornography that was sent to Zappia from another employee.
The contents of the tape add to the revelations of the payout to Hall, the club's former community liaison officer, revealed in the
Herald last month.
According to Channel Seven, the tape recording was made at a meeting in August last year, held three days after Hall was so badly injured she had to have several days off work. Hall, 25, was so traumatised by the incident and its fallout that she fled interstate.
The tape appears to confirm a previous interview with the
Herald, in which Hall said she found it difficult to understand how she was hit so hard. She had also revealed how Zappia had asked if she wanted to spank him.
Channel Seven reported that Zappia cornered Hall in a hallway, came up close to her and stood on both of her feet before he lashed out at her.
Zappia told the
Herald the punch was accidental and he was shadow boxing.
Channel Seven claimed Zappia walked away from the incident with little regard for Hall's injury. The
Herald has previously put questions in writing to Zappia. "Your questions suggest that you have listened to conflicting (and wrong) stories surrounding the matter," he wrote back in reply.
But the Channel Seven tape also illustrates Zappia's strange management style. Zappia shows Hall his computer screen, which allegedly contains pornography sent from another person. Zappia's assistant commented that she, too, received pornography, at which Zappia laughs loudly.
Later in the meeting Hall asked for time off because her face was still sore and she was embarrassed that people might think she was a victim of domestic violence. However Channel Seven reported that Zappia would not allow her to take the time off as sick leave because he didn't want a sick form to record the incident. She was to take it as other leave.
On the tape, Channel Seven said Zappia admits to saying he would later destroy the legal document. Last night Zappia did not return messages sent to him on his phone, nor messages relayed via club officials.
The contents of the tape add to the revelations of the payout to Hall, the club's former community liaison officer, revealed in the
Herald last month.
According to Channel Seven, the tape recording was made at a meeting in August last year, held three days after Hall was so badly injured she had to have several days off work. Hall, 25, was so traumatised by the incident and its fallout that she fled interstate.
The tape appears to confirm a previous interview with the
Herald, in which Hall said she found it difficult to understand how she was hit so hard. She had also revealed how Zappia had asked if she wanted to spank him.
Channel Seven reported that Zappia cornered Hall in a hallway, came up close to her and stood on both of her feet before he lashed out at her.
Zappia told the
Herald the punch was accidental and he was shadow boxing.
Channel Seven claimed Zappia walked away from the incident with little regard for Hall's injury. The
Herald has previously put questions in writing to Zappia. "Your questions suggest that you have listened to conflicting (and wrong) stories surrounding the matter," he wrote back in reply.
But the Channel Seven tape also illustrates Zappia's strange management style. Zappia shows Hall his computer screen, which allegedly contains pornography sent from another person. Zappia's assistant commented that she, too, received pornography, at which Zappia laughs loudly.
Later in the meeting Hall asked for time off because her face was still sore and she was embarrassed that people might think she was a victim of domestic violence. However Channel Seven reported that Zappia would not allow her to take the time off as sick leave because he didn't want a sick form to record the incident. She was to take it as other leave.
On the tape, Channel Seven said Zappia admits to saying he would later destroy the legal document. Last night Zappia did not return messages sent to him on his phone, nor messages relayed via club officials.
