Extension for Lawson’s ban
Blackjack Gary Lawson has had his suspension from the sport extended by another 26 weeks following two further instances of threatening behaviour by the former world and New Zealand champion.
The latest suspension means he will not be able to participate in the sport until March 2023, and is ineligible for the national championships in January 2023.
The most recent decision made by the Bowls Canterbury judicial panel was released yesterday.
Lawson was ruled out of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games after being given an initial 16-week suspension in June. His suspension followed a Bowls New Zealand judicial panel dismissing Lawson’s appeal regarding an incident of homophobic abuse that happened at a competition in Christchurch in May 2021, in which Lawson referred to another bowler as a ‘‘f...ing f....t’’.
Following the publication of his suspension, he threatened two people via text messages, a Canterbury Bowls judicial panel has found.
Stuff understands threats were sent to the person whose complaint about homophobic abuse led to Lawson’s initial suspension, and to Stuff senior sports journalist Zoë George whose July 2021 investigation uncovered allegations of homophobia, sexism, threatening behaviour and abusive language by Lawson spanning more than 25 years.
It has taken the Bowls Canterbury judicial panel – consisting of lawyer Ian Hunt, police officer Maurice Phiskie and former member of the International Olympic Committee Barry Maister – nearly 12 weeks to resolve the complaints. It took the panel more than 12 months to deal with the initial complaints that led to Lawson’s suspension in June after delays and failed mediation.
Stuff understands the duo received a formal apology via Lawson’s lawyer several days after the threats were made.
Despite his growing rap sheet for abusive behaviour, Bowls Canterbury said Lawson would no longer have to undertake diversity and inclusivity training, as was previously suggested, because it wasn’t relevant to the latest two complaints.
Bowls NZ chief executive Mark Cameron said he couldn’t comment further because he understood Lawson planned to appeal his latest sanction. Lawson is yet to respond for a request for comment.
It’s the third such sanction for the former world champion in the last nine months. He was also suspended in December 2021 for a month after being found to have used profane and indecent language towards an opposition player at an event in October.