Return of Foran ‘appals’ NRL women’s adviser

Warriors managing director Jim Doyle says he is not surprised the NRL’S decision to register Kieran Foran has polarised views.

The NRL women’s adviser Catharine Lumby has told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph that she is ‘‘appalled’’ with the decision to allow Foran to play from round three of the upcoming season.

Lumby was reported as being ‘close to tears’ when she read a column by Sydney Morning Herald’s Andrew Webster about how Foran had abused the late journalist Rebecca Wilson.

Foran continues to be off limits to the media, but in a brief statement yesterday Doyle said he expect there to be varying opinions to the five-eighths’ return to the NRL.

‘‘We were well aware that when Kieran’s contract was registered some people would see it as a positive but some people would be negative,’’ Doyle wrote.

‘‘Kieran has discussed all aspects of his past with the NRL so no need for him or us to discuss these further.’’

The comments come after Webster’s column on Thursday revealed that Foran allegedly made threats to Wilson.

Lumby said the NRL had not made the right call on Foran. ’’Rebecca Wilson was one of the most fearless and most intelligent women who reported on sport. She deserves the highest respect.

‘‘That she was abused and harassed in this manner by a football player is disgraceful. I am appalled that harsher sanctions have not been applied given that there is evidence of this behaviour.

‘‘If the NRL wants to genuinely show leadership, which it has, in relation to the treatment of women and respect to people generally, than it needs to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.’’

Wilson’s husband on Thursday savaged the NRL for allowing Foran back into the game, lifting the lid on the troubled footballer’s abusive texts and phone call to her.

‘‘That abuse caused great hurt and pain to my wife in the last days of her life,’’ said Australian media executive John Hartigan, who called police following the alleged threats.

‘‘It appears the NRL has given him the green light despite his behaviour. If they really have standards, for the sake of having a supposed star in the mix, they’ve dropped the flag.’’

Foran’s contract with the Warriors has been registered and he will be allowed to take the field in round three provided he passes a psychological assessment and adheres to a set of strict conditions. It’s a backflip from the NRL, which had given every indication in the last six months that it was unlikely Foran would take the field at all in 2017 as he dealt with ‘‘mental illness’’.

Wilson died in October from cancer, but the alleged texts and phone call took place when Foran was still with the Eels. He was released by the club in July and it was around this time that Foran had hit rock bottom.

In Webster’s article, he wrote that Wilson was one of the first to know about Foran’s break-up with partner Rebecca Pope and the dramatic impact it was having on his football career.

Foran had contacted her about it and Wilson had agreed not to run the story for the sake of all involved.

However, Wilson’s byline is on a story from May last year about $75,000 being gambled away from Foran’s TAB account, in a twohour gambling spree soon after he checked out of a rehab clinic.

Wilson also wrote in June about Foran’s relationship with Pope and that they were trying to reconcile their relationship, reporting that Foran had confided with people he may never play again.

Foran was placed on indefinite leave by his club, the Parramatta Eels, in April 2016 following his break-up with long-time partner Pope. At the time, the club said he needed time to deal with ‘‘personal issues’’.

Talk of a mental illness followed and later it was revealed Foran was questioned as the NRL Integrity Unit conducted an anticorruption investigation into the Eels.

"Kieran has discussed all aspects of his past with the NRL so no need for him or us to discuss these further." Jim Doyle, Warriors managing director