Two players from Australia’s Western Force Super 14 club have been disciplined after mishandling small animals during a team bonding session.
Scott Fava and Richard Brown were fined and ordered to undergo counselling for alcohol abuse after being found guilty of handling quokkas, a rare Australian marsupial listed as a protected species.
Although investigators found there was no evidence to suggest the players intended to harm the quokkas, RugbyWA’s misconduct committee found them guilty of offences including being drunk in public at a pre-season training camp on Rottnest Island.
RugbyWA chairperson Geoff Stooke said the players had apologised for their behaviour.
”We are acutely aware of the damage this has done to the good name of the team, a reputation that has been hard-earned over the last two years,” Stooke said in a statement. – Reuters