In recent weeks three sports stars have been under the microscope for their actions on and off the sporting stage. In my opinion, behaviour on and off the itch should be to the highest standard for any sportsman due to their position of being a role model. Their wages also speak to what expectation they need to live up to. So what has been happening in the world of sport?
Ben Stokes, the cricketer, was in court being accused of affray. The sports star was caught on camera continuously punching a man in the street with a teammate kicking the same man. The pair left him unconscious. The court found him not guilty and due to this the cricket board have contemplated looking over the his case but after the India test match so Stokes was free to play in the last match on the world stage despite the violence he inflicted.
Stokes was caught on camera throwing punches in public. I don't know much about the game of cricket but I know that this is not standard for their boards. Recently, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were caught cheating by roughing the ball. These players of course have been banned from Australian cricket and had sanctions from their clubs. This happened straight away as their was concrete proof of their discretion. I know that what Stokes did was completely different to Smith and Bancroft but there is concrete proof that he was very violent in a public place. How has the cricket board just ignored this? Of course it must have something to do with Stokes being the most expensive cricket player of all time but it is ridiculous that they have let him off scott free. What message does this send to young impressionable cricket players? That as long as you behave appropriately on the pitch that their behaviour off doesn't matter? It is unbelievable that they have let him get away with it.
It's not just a cricket player who has behaved idiotically in recent weeks. Danny Cipriani was arrested for common assault and for resisting arrest in Jersey. He pleaded guilty and was fined £2000. The RFU decided that his case needed to be reviewed straight away and, after nearly 4 hours in a hearing with Danny, decided that no further action needed to be taken. No match bans or further fines for Cipriani.
Chris Ashton retaliated to a player in the opposition in the first pre season match for Sale. He committed a tip tackle, a dangerous tackle that could seriously injure a player, and was given a red card for it. The RFU then took this under review due to his misconduct. After a lengthy hearing with Ashton the RFU decided he should have a 7 week ban, the opposing player who landed a hit on Ashton at the time received no sanction.
Now I completely agree that Chris Ashton should have received punishment. He knows the rules of the game and that tackle was extremely dangerous and so the punishment was deserved (that being said I am so disappointed that he behaved in this way as I was hopeful for Ashton's return to English rugby). But surely if Ashton is being sanctioned for violent behaviour Cipriani should be sanctioned for the similar actions he took on that fateful night out. It does not matter that Cipriani's actions occurred off the field. A rugby sportsman should uphold the sports ideals constantly, due to how much they are being paid and that they live and breathe the sport. They have millions of people looking to them to set an example and this behaviour on or off the pitch is unacceptable. Cipriani should have been reprimanded in some way or another by the RFU. It is as if they are condoning Cipriani's behaviour and are shocked by Ashton's. If you are going to punish a player for this type of behaviour they need to set a standard and not change their attitudes towards certain players. They should tarnish them with the same brush.
These recent events in the sporting world is sending the message that off pitch behaviour doesn't affect their on pitch position. The players who have behaved badly on the pitch are being sanctioned but those who behave like it off of the pitch carry on playing their beloved sport. This needs to change. They need to treat everyone the same. It is just common sense.
Ben Stokes, the cricketer, was in court being accused of affray. The sports star was caught on camera continuously punching a man in the street with a teammate kicking the same man. The pair left him unconscious. The court found him not guilty and due to this the cricket board have contemplated looking over the his case but after the India test match so Stokes was free to play in the last match on the world stage despite the violence he inflicted.
Stokes was caught on camera throwing punches in public. I don't know much about the game of cricket but I know that this is not standard for their boards. Recently, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were caught cheating by roughing the ball. These players of course have been banned from Australian cricket and had sanctions from their clubs. This happened straight away as their was concrete proof of their discretion. I know that what Stokes did was completely different to Smith and Bancroft but there is concrete proof that he was very violent in a public place. How has the cricket board just ignored this? Of course it must have something to do with Stokes being the most expensive cricket player of all time but it is ridiculous that they have let him off scott free. What message does this send to young impressionable cricket players? That as long as you behave appropriately on the pitch that their behaviour off doesn't matter? It is unbelievable that they have let him get away with it.
It's not just a cricket player who has behaved idiotically in recent weeks. Danny Cipriani was arrested for common assault and for resisting arrest in Jersey. He pleaded guilty and was fined £2000. The RFU decided that his case needed to be reviewed straight away and, after nearly 4 hours in a hearing with Danny, decided that no further action needed to be taken. No match bans or further fines for Cipriani.
Chris Ashton retaliated to a player in the opposition in the first pre season match for Sale. He committed a tip tackle, a dangerous tackle that could seriously injure a player, and was given a red card for it. The RFU then took this under review due to his misconduct. After a lengthy hearing with Ashton the RFU decided he should have a 7 week ban, the opposing player who landed a hit on Ashton at the time received no sanction.
Now I completely agree that Chris Ashton should have received punishment. He knows the rules of the game and that tackle was extremely dangerous and so the punishment was deserved (that being said I am so disappointed that he behaved in this way as I was hopeful for Ashton's return to English rugby). But surely if Ashton is being sanctioned for violent behaviour Cipriani should be sanctioned for the similar actions he took on that fateful night out. It does not matter that Cipriani's actions occurred off the field. A rugby sportsman should uphold the sports ideals constantly, due to how much they are being paid and that they live and breathe the sport. They have millions of people looking to them to set an example and this behaviour on or off the pitch is unacceptable. Cipriani should have been reprimanded in some way or another by the RFU. It is as if they are condoning Cipriani's behaviour and are shocked by Ashton's. If you are going to punish a player for this type of behaviour they need to set a standard and not change their attitudes towards certain players. They should tarnish them with the same brush.
These recent events in the sporting world is sending the message that off pitch behaviour doesn't affect their on pitch position. The players who have behaved badly on the pitch are being sanctioned but those who behave like it off of the pitch carry on playing their beloved sport. This needs to change. They need to treat everyone the same. It is just common sense.
Comments
Post a Comment