Every News: Australia gets tough on rugby players, crime

Australia gets tough on rugby players, crime
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SYDNEY: Australian rugby league authorities announced tough and controversial new rules to crack down on players accused of serious crimes Thursday after a spate of off-field incidents tarnished the game’s reputation.Under the regime, players who are charged with serious criminal offences will now be automatically suspended. Previously, they could continue playing while they awaited the outcome of their court cases.St George Illawarra’s Jack de Belin, who is facing sexual assault allegations, was on Thursday the first to be banned, although he will still be able to train with the team.He has pleaded not guilty and concerns have been raised that suspending players could impact their presumption of innocence. “If we were to shift the policy and stand a player down, we’re in dangerous territory,” said Rugby League Players Association chief executive Ian Prendergast ahead of the decision. “We’re making that decision with the same set of facts that are before the courts and we’ve been concerned about the public debate given the very real potential to prejudice the party’s right to a fair hearing.”But Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Beattie said there must be benchmark set for the sake of the sport. “We’ve spent a considerable amount of time working on what’s in the best interests of rugby league,” Beattie said in a statement.