Wests Tigers have just released a media statement to announce that they support the decision by the NRL to terminate the registration of Tim Simona earlier today.
Simona was deregistered by the NRL – effectively for life – for a range of rule breaches, including betting on opposition players scoring against his team.
“Based on the evidence we have identified it is very hard to imagine that Tim Simona will be registered with the NRL at any time in the future,” NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement.
The Wests Tigers said they have been working with the NRL during their investigation and support the process.
Club CEO Justin Pascoe said that the Wests Tigers “are incredibly disappointed in the actions of Simona and agree with the NRL’s decision’’.
“I fully support the comments of Todd Greenberg that the integrity of the game must be upheld above all else,” Pascoe said.
“I believe it’s a privilege to work in this game and it’s the responsibility of everyone involved to uphold its integrity.
“As a club we pride ourselves on our standards of behaviour and after discussions with the NRL I am 100 percent confident that this is isolated to Tim Simona.
“At Wests Tigers we are very proud of our position in the community,” he said.
“We will not allow the actions of an individual player to jeopardise what this club stands for and represents.
“It will continue to be our responsibility to ensure that Simona receives the welfare support that he needs,” he said.
The club said it would not be making any further comment on this matter.
I find it hard to support the NRL in its treatment of young players who fall under the spell of the NRL’s main financial supporterss, the liquor and gambling industries, then when a distressed and in most cases uneducated player indulge in what these powerful sponsors tell them to do they take away their income and brand them when they need help to overcome their addiction. Shame on the NRL and the Tigers.