Australian rugby star suspended for lewd, drunken acts

Canberra, Jan 28: The captain of one of Australia’s biggest tiol Rugby League (NRL) teams has been suspended after footage emerged of him in a drunken stupor on Australia Day. The 90-second video, taken at a house party on Tuesday, shows Sydney Roosters captain Mitchell Pearce picking up the house owner’s dog and pretending to perform a sexual act before he is told by the owner to put the animal down. Pearce, who appeared to have urited on himself, also harasses one of the women in the house.

The NSW state representative’s alcohol-fueled escapade has sparked widespread outrage from the NRL community and animal rights groups.

Before the video was aired on Wednesday evening, the NRL — the world’s leading rugby league competition — announced that their investigative body, the NRL Integrity Unit, was already aware of the incident.

“The club wishes to advise that Mitchell Pearce has been stood down from all training commitments until the club concludes its interl investigation,” the Sydney Roosters said in a statement on Thursday morning.

“The club continues to work closely with the NRL Integrity Unit and will be making no further comment at this time.”

On Wednesday, the NSW Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals released a statement that it also would be conducting an investigation of its own. IANS