Preliminary results of an autopsy carried out on a man who died after a confrontation with officers at St George Leagues Club indicate he did not die from physical injuries, police say.
Dragons fan Steven Bosevski, 35, was celebrating his side's NRL grand final win at the Kogarah club yesterday when a fight broke out, police say.
Security alerted police, who used Tasers, capsicum spray and batons to bring the situation under control.
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Dragons fan ... Steven Bosevski (left); his twin, Steve Bosevski, is comforted outside the family home in Bardwell Valley. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Mr Bosevski's twin brother, Steve, yesterday described his brother as a "gentle giant".
But Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione today said Mr Bosevski was "throwing security around like rag dolls".
He rejected claims from Mr Bosevski's family that Mr Bosevski had been hit on the head, potentially causing his death.
Mr Scipione said the preliminary results from the autopsy showed that Mr Bosevski suffered "no physical injury that could have caused death".
All baton strikes were to Mr Bosevski's knees and legs, he said.
"Following a review of the footage, certainly I am confident that there were no strikes to the head," he said.
"From the preliminary post-mortem advice, which we have just received, it shows there has been no indication of brain injury, no fractures to the skull.
"Certainly there was bruising around the neck and the chest, which we have been advised by the coroner was consistent with CPR being performed."
Mr Scipione said police had been called in to eject "a group of people who were behaving aggressively".
"One officer, fearing that he was about to be assaulted, used his capsicum spray on that larger group," he said.
"At that point, the deceased man actually struck the police officer that was engaging him, to the face, and at the time, in his hand, he had a glass bottle."
The officer was believed to have been hit around his eye socket.
