Kurtley Beale fined $3000 over mid-air argument

[Timbo]

The Australian Rugby Union has fined Kurtley Beale $3000 for his role in the mid-air argument with the then Wallaby business manager Di Patston in September.

The star back was found guilty of a moderate breach of team protocols but faces no further sanction from the ARU.

The investigation into the mid-air argument was conducted by the ARU's Integrity Unit and was separate to the inquiry into the text message that Beale sent Patston in June which was held by the independent Code of Conduct Tribunal.

ARU chief executive Bill Pulver, who has faced calls for his sacking over the handling of the scandal, said the fining of Beale over the mid-air incident represented the end of the affair.
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"We basically see that this review process is now complete. As of last night [Thursday] we have resolved the altercation on the plane so essentially we see this as drawing a line under the incident.

"We have resisted the temptation to speak in public throughout this process in order to preserve the integrity of the process. There are people's reputations at stake - there is a process that needs to be adhered to, and our willingness to speak about it today [Friday] is at the end of the process. What we've done with that document is basically provide full transparency around the facts as we see them."

ARU chairman Michael Hawker on Friday broke his silence on the saga, saying he did not think the controversy could have been handled any better in the face of heavy criticism of the governing body. "From the timeframe that we had to deal with this issue, we've dealt with it as fast as we could do it within the processes that were available to us," Hawker said. "I don't think there has been any argument that what we've been doing has been a proper process."

A hearing last Friday found Beale guilty of a violation of the ARU code of conduct for sending an offensive text message and fined him $45,000.

The ARU said it would re-open negotiations with Beale regarding his future in Australian rugby when his current contract expires at the end of this year.

Fairfax Media

[MI5_Dog]

re-open negotiations?

F**k me sideways!

[sevenmile]

re-open negotiations?

F**k me sideways!

breaking news
Kurtley Beale is behind Nova Peris scandal trying to.raise funds to cover costs

[Invictus]

They will offer him something close to insulting (to him/his manager) and he will spit the dummy and bugger off to the cashed up clubs in either Japan or France.

[valzc]

They will offer him something close to insulting (to him/his manager) and he will spit the dummy and bugger off to the cashed up clubs in either Japan or France.

We hope.

[SNOB]

It must be the "Mother of All Clusterf@rks".
The ARU have yet again shown their inability run rugby at a professional level. The sooner the way Wallabys are selected and paid per game/series the better. Also something smells bloody fishy re Link and Di! If there's nothing to hide why not turn up? And as for how clumsy people are with their phones! I've never lost one and Ive had one since the original bloody brick!

[Ralto]

Also something smells bloody fishy re Link and D

Oooh errr

[Cowboy]

How does showing up help either Ewen or Di? Tghey have already lost everything simply because if you throw enough mud some of it sticks.

This is not a day in court, just some pathetic pretend legal process that the ARU agreed to because it's to gutless to stand up to it's employees that are paid to play. Even when found guilty they still cant draw a line in the sand and dictate how their employees will behave. Have you ever heard of an employer running with the punishment should fit the crime? Not that our judiciary has any idea what that means anyway as we live in a society that disregards victims and indulges criminals thanks to their efforts.

[Tonkar]

Maybe Di and Ewen are talking to lawyers and dont want anything leaked... Staying away from the media