Approaches and Trends in Discipline and Rehabilitation in Professional Sports

Assessment Purpose

Assessment Purpose:

The purpose of this assignment is to assess your ability to evaluate approaches and trends in the areas of discipline and rehabilitation in professional sport.

Davies (2011) argues that the off-field indiscretions of professional athletes highlights the fact that a player’s off-field behaviour has become a major consideration when it comes to their employment. There have been multiple cases both, in Australia and internationally, where athletes have had their contracts terminated or faced heavy sanctions, due to off-field conduct.

On 26 January 2016 Mitchell Pearce, a player for the Sydney Roosters (National Rugby League Competition: NRL) was involved in an off-field incident which saw him involved in what came to be regarded as the “Australia Day drunken video scandal”, where he was seen simulating a lewd act with a dog.

The player was stood down from all club duties and was subsequently fined $125K and suspended for 8 weeks. This sanction is reportedly the biggest financial punishment ever handed out in the NRL competition.

Based on this case, which saw a professional athlete significantly sanctioned for behaviours that brought the sport into disrepute, argue the case for the either the importance of rehabilitation and education or sanctioning and discipline, when dealing with potential mental health-related issues.

In your response focus on the following issues:

1. Outline the nature of the case, the behaviours displayed and the potential mental health-related issues.
2. Discuss the sanction that was handed out to the player and outline whether you believe it to be a fair or harsh penalty and why.
3. If you were consulted on this case to develop and implement a rehabilitation plan, what would your plan be and why would this approach be a better option than the sanction that was determined and enforced?