Person who took Latrell Mitchell photo called out as former NRL teammate demands action
Mitchell Pearce, Todd Carney and Mal Meninga have all had their say.
Former NRL players Mitchell Pearce and Todd Carney have condemned the person who took a photo of Latrell Mitchell and disseminated it - both without his consent. The NRL Integrity Unit is investigating the photo, which allegedly shows Mitchell bending over a table with a white powder on it.
There's no suggestion that Mitchell has done anything illegal. However the Integrity Unit has reportedly interviewed Mitchell and asked for his version of events, and attempted to verify the authenticity of the photo.
The Rabbitohs have confirmed the image was taken during Mitchell's trip to Dubbo last weekend, where he did some community work and appeared at a coaching clinic. The photo began circulating on social media on Monday after it was reportedly offered to news outlets for a fee. It was then reported to the Integrity Unit by South Sydney.
On Tuesday, former Roosters teammate Pearce turned the blowtorch on the person who took the photo and leaked it, declaring they should be under investigation as well. "I hope someone comes down hard on the person who's filming these things," Pearce said on the 'Half-Time' podcast. "It would be good to know what the laws are around this because it's bullshit.
"You'd hope it's not his mate, but whoever was in there and doing that stuff needs big repercussions. The game needs to find out who these people are and go hard on them. They should name and shame them because these people get away with murder and there's no repercussions."
Todd Carney and Mal Meninga respond to Latrell Mitchell photo
Pearce was in a similar situation in 2016 when he was suspended for eight games and fined $75,000 by the NRL, after photos and video of him simulating a lewd act with a dog were leaked online. And Todd Carney, whose career ended in 2014 when an image of him performing a lewd act in a nightclub was also shared on social media, said he also feels for Mitchell.
"It's sad to see the privacy broken again for a sports player," Carney said on the same podcast. "It's a horrible feeling being on the back page at the best of times for anything, but it's just sad to see because while we don't know if he's done the wrong thing or not.
"People listening will be saying 'they shouldn't have done the wrong thing'. But if he's in an environment with his mates or whatever, by the looks of it, someone has taken from a distance. My worry is now for Latrell and how he handles it, what he does in the next 24 hours and if he comes out and owns it or shies away from it. That's the concern for a player because we're all human and we make mistakes."
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League legend and Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga expressed similar sentiments, pointing out the photo of Mitchell was taken in a private place. "This fella who has allegedly taken this photo, he's not a mate," Meninga said on SEN radio. "He's not a friend, he's a person trying to make money out of this."
Mitchell is currently sidelined by a foot injury, with Souths offering no guarantee he'll play again this year. He's expected back in the coming weeks, but if the Rabbitohs aren't a realistic chance of making the finals they're unlikely to risk playing Mitchell.
with AAP
