Ex-partner rejects Ben Barba probe
by: Brent Read and Stuart Honeysett
From: The Australian
September 03, 2013 12:00AM
BEN Barba's estranged partner Ainslie Currie has rejected an approach from the NRL integrity unit to respond to allegations she was punched in the face by the Canterbury fullback and reigning Dally M Medal winner.
In what shapes as a big setback to the probe, Currie told the NRL through her lawyer, Campbell MacCallum, that she had nothing to add to her original story.
Currie has consistently denied claims she was the victim of domestic violence, although questions have again been raised over those comments following the weekend publication of a picture of a woman with a bleeding mouth. The woman is alleged to be Currie.
"(The NRL integrity unit) have made contact with me to see if there is any information she wants to add," MacCallum said. "At this stage she has nothing to add."
MacCallum said Barba and Currie, who have two children together, had improved their relationship in recent weeks. He also revealed the media attention had begun to affect Currie's health.
The NRL integrity unit began a probe into claims of assault against Barba at the weekend at the request of Canterbury chief executive Raelene Castle.
Aside from the veracity of the assault claim, the probe will seek to determine whether the Bulldogs - and then-chief executive Todd Greenberg - erred in failing to inform the NRL of the claims made against one of the game's biggest names.
Aware of the potential for accusations of a conflict of interest, the NRL last night announced Sydney barrister Tony Bannon SC had been appointed to carry out a review of Canterbury's actions.
The Bulldogs have been asked to supply all records of the events leading up to their decision in February this year.
"Tony Bannon is perfectly qualified to deliver that outcome," NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle said. "It is our intention that the review will be completed as soon as possible but it is ultimately up to Mr Bannon to determine the final timeframe."
The fallout could be significant, particularly for Greenberg. Since leaving the Bulldogs, he has taken over as the NRL head of football after being hand-picked by chief executive Dave Smith.
Smith met with Greenberg in February, shortly before Barba's problems were made public, to check there was nothing more sinister behind the decision to stand him down. Currie had already gone public by that stage to deny claims of domestic abuse and the NRL was about to use Barba as the face of its $1 million advertising campaign.
Smith was wary as the game faced a similar situation in 2009 when Brett Stewart was dropped from its advertising campaign after the Manly fullback was charged with sexual assault. Stewart was later cleared in court.
"I think any decision not to include Ben Barba would have brought more profile than less so I think leaving Ben Barba in based on what we know ... is the right thing to do, " NRL commercial manager Paul Kind said at the time.
The NRL responded by reducing Barba's role in the advertisements primarily over concerns about the state of his mental health.
Barba continues to recover from an ankle problem and is tipped to have a fitness test tomorrow to determine if he is any chance of playing against Brisbane - the club he will join next season - on Thursday night.
