SYDNEY ROOSTERS prop Spencer Leniu has been banned for eight games after being found guilty of using a racist remark.
A unanimous decision was made by panel members, chaired by judiciary chief Geoffrey Bellew, SC, and Bob Lindner and Sean Hampstead, found that Leniu referred to Brisbane Broncos halfback Ezra Mam as a ‘monkey’ with racial intentions in the NRL Round One event in Las Vegas.
The panel did find that Leniu’s remorse was genuine but that a strong message needed to be put out.
“On an assessment of the player’s evidence, the Panel were satisfied that he had become annoyed with a comment made by player Mam to the effect of “run it at Spencer”, that he took offence to it, and that he decided to make a racist comment in response,” Bellew said.
“The Panel did not accept the player’s claimed ignorance that he was not aware that “monkey” was, when used towards the Indigenous community, a racist term. In light of that finding, the Panel was satisfied that the offending fell at a high degree of objective seriousness.
“The Panel took into account the various aspects of the player’s subjective case. The Panel obviously accepted that he had pleaded guilty, and were satisfied that he was genuinely remorseful. The Panel also took into account that such remorse was reflected, not only in what the player had said in his evidence, but in his attempts to contact player Mam following the match.
“The Panel also had regard to the player’s generally favourable history in the game. The Panel was prepared to accept that despite his intention to use a racist term, the player’s actions on this occasion were on the spur of the moment, and a deviation from his normal behaviour.”
Leniu pleaded guilty to the charge and apologised to Mam when giving evidence.
“I really am sorry to Ezra and his people. I can’t believe I used that word but I really didn’t mean it,” he said.
“This game happens so fast and in that split second I said a word I didn’t know the meaning to.
“I didn’t know how much that word means to the Indigenous community, Ezra and his family.”
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