Raiders star sorry for lewd animal photo4 November 2010, 6:27 pmCanberra Raiders star Joel Monaghan has expressed his remorse over the circulation of a photograph which shows him engaged in a lewd act with an animal.
The photograph - which has since been withdrawn from the Twitpic site - is alleged to have been taken during an end-of-season drinking session.
Raiders chief executive officer Don Furner told reporters earlier that he was "dumbfounded" and said if it turned out to be authentic, he would be "appalled".
Monaghan has since released a statement through manager Jim Banaghan in which he admits to being the player in the photograph.
"Joel can't blame anyone but himself for an act of stupidity that will haunt him for the rest of his life," he said.
"Joel wants to make it clear that he was the one playing a prank on an absent team-mate by simulating the act.
"There are no words of explanation that can be offered because none can be appropriate.
"Joel has to now face his family as well as fans and supporters with that shame and has already undergone counselling to help him cope with the consequences of what has happened.
"It was a moment of abject stupidity brought about by too much drink and a complete lack of any thought process.
"The fact that someone has sought to compound the situation further by the use of social media only adds to the trauma, but Joel accepts that it is his actions alone that are at fault.
"He apologises unreservedly for the outrage that people feel at the moment and blames nobody but himself.
"He will meet the club over the issue and accepts that there must be ramifications, but the fact is he is not in a fit emotional state to have those discussions at the moment.
"Joel is a genuinely good person who is simply shattered by a moment of sheer madness."
Mr Furner said the incident served as a warning about binge drinking.
"It's a great example of why you shouldn't be out drinking and having these big drinking sessions, because clearly if it did happen, he's going to have to live with that for the rest of his life," he said.
"It's a big cross to bear.
"Doing something stupid when you're out on the drink like that or even at home, the perils of the media and the social media networks that are there today, it's a great example of why you shouldn't do it."
The NRL has warned the Raiders that it will closely monitor any disciplinary action against Monaghan.
"We have a system of allowing clubs to take the initial action in relation to disciplinary issues as they are the employers and we will maintain that principle," NRL chief executive David Gallop said in a statement.
"The fact of the matter remains that in any circumstance, this is an appalling incident and one that has offended everyone associated with the sport.
"It is important that the club deals with it appropriately and that it reports to the NRL as soon as possible on the outcomes."
Source: Tag: Rugby League - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Topic: Raiders star sorry for lewd animal photo
