A photograph of an NRL player engaging in a sex act with a dog, which circulated online, has led him to resign.
The player, Joel Monaghan, was associated with the Canberra Raiders.
While attending a house party at the end of the season, with around 30 fellow players and friends from Canberra, a photo was taken of Monaghan together with a Labrador belonging to a teammate.
This image eventually found its way onto Twitter before reaching the media outlets. Just one week after the disturbing photo came to light, which sparked widespread shock and condemnation, the 28-year-old player revealed he requested the cancellation of his contract with Canberra, roughly valued at $250,000 per year.
“I take full responsibility for my actions,” Monaghan stated. “It was a 
moment of utter foolishness, and while it is completely out of character for me, I must accept the consequences. I regret that the photo was shared, but I should never have found myself in that situation. It is something I will have to contend with for the rest of my life.”
Having represented Australia on an international scale, Monaghan seemed to anticipate the team management’s decision to terminate his contract, especially after sponsors expressed their outrage over the incident. He now intends to seek a contract with a professional rugby league team in England.
“It was a moment of sheer stupidity caused by excessive drinking and a complete absence of any rational thought,” remarked an NRL executive.
“The fact that someone has further aggravated the matter through social media only intensifies the distress; however, Joel acknowledges that only his actions are to blame. He sincerely apologizes for the outrage that has arisen and attributes the fault solely to himself.”
The rugby league community is no stranger to scandals involving controversy and sexual misconduct.
The Melbourne Storm had their 2007 and 2009 championships revoked due to salary cap violations.
In an infamous incident in 2005, a prominent player was accused of “groping” a woman during a charity event for golfer Jack Newton, had a drunken altercation with the woman’s relatives, wandered around the venue unclothed, threw knives at hotel patrons, and crashed a golf cart.
In 2007, regarded by many as the greatest rugby league player ever, Andrew Johns was arrested for possession of an Ecstasy tablet while on vacation at a London subway station, later admitting to a long-standing battle with drug addiction. Similarly, last year, his brother Matthew found himself at the center of a group sex scandal that captivated the sport.
by Buford Balony
