NRL LAUNCHES INTEGRITY PROBE INTO ROOSTERS POWERBROKERS POLITIS, BOURIS OVER LAS VEGAS CONFRONTATION
The Sydney Roosters’ most influential figures, chairman Nick Politis AM and director Mark Bouris, are under investigation by the NRL Integrity Unit following an alleged verbal abuse incident involving a senior referee at the Las Vegas Nines tournament last week.
Referee Mitch James, 35, has alleged he was confronted by Politis and Bouris immediately after the pool match between the LA Roosters and Brisbane veterans on Friday. In a detailed statement, James recalled the tense exchange that unfolded as he prepared to leave the field.
“Mr Mark Bouris and Mr Nick Politis confronted me,” James wrote. “Mr Bouris stated, ‘I’ve seen a lot of football and that was a disgrace! You reffed us out of the game.’ I responded, ‘And all your advice has been good too, has it, Mark?’ Following this, Mr Politis began making additional remarks, at which point the ground manager intervened and ushered me away from the situation.”
The incident took a further twist when James revealed he was removed from his touchline assignment for the subsequent Greece vs USA match later that day. “I am a simple bloke from Dapto, but I am not copping that from anyone,” he said, emphasizing the broader issue of referee treatment across the sport.
“This is not about me, it’s about what we put up with every single weekend from spectators who don’t like our decisions,” James added. “I’ve got nothing to gain or lose out of this. What I am saying is, week in and week out, because of the position I am in running the referees for the whole of the Illawarra, I know these incidents are not isolated to Las Vegas.”
Bouris has confirmed an incident occurred post-match but has not elaborated on the details of the conversation. The NRL has confirmed it is reviewing statements from all parties involved, including the ground manager who intervened.
“The Integrity Unit takes all allegations of misconduct towards match officials extremely seriously,” an NRL spokesperson said. “We are conducting a thorough investigation and will provide an update once all evidence has been assessed.”
The Las Vegas Nines, part of the NRL’s push into the US market, has already been marred by controversy, with the probe adding further scrutiny to the league’s off-field conduct as it seeks to expand its global footprint.
