Sydney - Australian rugby league lost a high profile presenter Wednesday after an expose of degrading sex acts and misogynistic behaviour was aired on national television. Former Cronulla Sharks player Matthew Johns was sacked by the Nine Network after details of his part in a 2002 New Zealand sex romp became public.
"Whatever the arguments about the details of the New Zealand incident involving Cronulla players in 2002, the conduct and its aftermath was simply unacceptable, full stop," Nine Network chief executive David Gyngell said in a statement.
In the programme screened by the ABC, a New Zealand woman told how six Cronulla players had sex with her in a hotel room while another six looked on. She said she felt suicidal after an incident that happened when she was 19.
Other women also testified to shocking behaviour by league players.
"I again offer my apologies on behalf of the game for the pain those women experienced," National Rugby League chief executive David Gallop told reporters when the story broke. "Violence against women is abhorrent and sexual assault and the degradation of women is just that."
Johns admitted involvement in the incident but said the sex was consensual and that no criminal charges were laid against any of the players. He showed little sympathy for the woman.
"It caused all parties enormous pain and embarrassment," he said of the Christchurch incident. "For me personally, it has put my family through enormous anguish and embarrassment, and it has once again. For that I can't say sorry enough."
