Shute Shield racist abuse proven but Easts cleared of code of conduct breach

Shute Shield club Eastern Suburbs have been cleared of a breach of the Rugby Australia code of conduct but instructed to educate and supervise fans in the future, after a judicial committee found West Harbour players were subject to racial abuse during a trial match at Woollahra Oval.

The Sydney Rugby Union held a code of conduct committee hearing on Wednesday night regarding allegations several Wests players were racially abused by members of the Easts crowd during the first and second grade games of a pre-season fixture.

As reported by this masthead, Eastern Suburbs were issued with a breach notice by the SRU regarding alleged contraventions of five sections of the Rugby Australia code of conduct, dealing with alleged racial abuse and threatening behaviour. Spectators are included as ‘participants’ in Rugby Australia’s code of conduct.

Five witness statements from Wests were submitted as part of the SRU investigation, but Easts emphatically denied any of the club’s supporters had made any racially abusive comments and submitted 11 statements from people in the hill area the abuse allegedly came from.

Easts faced penalties including fines and/or loss of competition points if the breaches were proven.

While Wednesday’s lengthy hearing determined the testimony of the affected Wests players was credible and racial abuse had occurred, with insufficient proof the abuse had come from Easts supporters as alleged the breach was not proven.

The SRU released a statement from general manager Peter Watkins on Thursday, saying: “Sydney Rugby Union held a code of conduct committee hearing regarding the breach notice served to Eastern Suburbs DRUFC.

“The committee found there was no breach under the Rugby Australia code of conduct against the club. However, there was an acknowledgment that although no breach was proven, or sanction imposed, the committee will record that the alleged behaviour occurred and that Eastern Suburbs DRUFC are required to undertake further measures including education of players and supervision of spectators.