Sacking Lui is pandering to the media and sponsor-controlled reality of sports today.
Sacking Lui has no positive outcome for Lui and his family. This is a very sad situation but I believe it should be a private matter. This obsession with players lives and behaviour is fuelled only by the desire of media companies to sell newspapers. If Lui goes to jail then he shouldn't be allowed to play for the tigers, because his imprisonment will prevent him from doing so. Otherwise, he should be in the side if available.
I'm sick of the media pretending as if poor behaviour by sports players is surprising. And I'm even more fed up with fans swallowing this stuff. It would be great if League players could all be upstanding citizens (I'd say the majority were pretty good) but the reality is that many rugby league players come from communities that have many social problems and that influences the behaviour of players off the field. So, while it is sad that kids can't really have faith in the players they put up on a pedestal but that is the reality of the world. Not every thing is safe and dandy. Many people have problems. Many people make mistakes. Many people hurt others.
I agree it is disappointing that Lui is having major difficulties with his relationship and I also agree that violence towards women is something that should be actively campaigned against. It is a sad situation. But, it is primarily a private situation for Lui and his family to work out. The fact that it has gone to court only emphasises how desperate the situation is. But, that shouldn't preclude Lui from playing rugby league, just as it wouldn't preclude a bus driver from driving a bus.
You can argue that as a public figure he has greater responsibility than the anonymous bus driver and to some extent I agree. But, I think the only reason he would be sacked is to avoid media attention and to please sponsors. Sacking Lui does nothing for his family and does nothing for violence against women.
A much better way to attack violence against women is to keep Lui in the fold and have him talk openly about his problems. Throwing the player into the dark and pretending like the problem will go away by doing so is a stupid thing to do. Have him face the media, have him talk about his problems, give him the support to deal with his issues and through that process improve the publics understanding on the issue.
I'm sick of the media's scrutiny of player’s private lives and I think we should all be much less interested in judging these people through the hyperventilating opinions of the media. Lui has serious problems and his family is suffering because of this. Sacking him is not going to improve their situation. I hope we don't cave in to the media and our sponsors, but I think it is unlikely that it can be avoided.
