Following claims that Spencer Leniu used a racist slur on the pitch at Broncos player Ezra Mam during yesterday’s Las Vegas season opener, the Sydney Roosters are dealing with a great deal of blowback.
After Leniu, a prop for the Roosters, allegedly dubbed the Broncos five-eighth on the field a “monkey,” Mam officially lodged a complaint against him. Leniu attempted to refute the allegations, stating that it is all “just fun and games on the pitch,” but Mam was “pretty upset” about the confrontation, according to Broncos coach Kevin Walters. The NRL formally charged Leniu for the purported incident this morning.
The Sydney Roosters are sustained by a number of lucrative sponsorship agreements, and they have long been regarded as one of the richer teams in the league. But considering the content of the alleged remarks directed at Leniu, this reputation might be in jeopardy.
Sponsors frequently withdraw their support in the wake of a possible scandal, and many have done so for far less than what Leniu has been charged with. For instance, St George Bank, a significant sponsor of the St George Illawarra Dragons, will leave the team at the conclusion of the 2024 campaign. The bank stated that it was “concerned about the management of the club and player behaviour over the last few years.” Individual sponsorship arrangements have been cancelled on a global scale in the past as a result of player or coach wrongdoing.
The Roosters and the Kari Foundation, a non-profit that has historically assisted Indigenous communities, have been partners for a number of years. A collaboration that might be in jeopardy should the accusations made against Spencer Leniu come to pass. In addition to being the club’s sponsor, Premier Services Group personally owns shares in Leniu. B&T requested comments from the Premier Services Group and the Kari Foundation, but neither organisation responded.
Sadly for the Roosters, a number of well-known players have taken to social media to express their support for Mam, so this problem is not going away quietly. Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell described the situation as “typical” in an Instagram story post. “This s**t needs to be handled by the NRL.” Last year, when a rival supporter allegedly hurled a racial epithet at Mitchell on the pitch, he became the focus of a racism lawsuit.
Leniu and two Broncos players allegedly got into a fight in the hotel where the teams are staying over night. Leniu was reportedly pulled from a heated altercation that involved lock Pat Carrigan and centre Kotoni Staggs because it was said to have left Mam crying.
The NRL asserts that it has a zero-tolerance policy against racism, and it has generally been effective in enforcing it. The allegations will be looked over in great depth. Veteran analyst Phil Rothfield speculates that if Leniu is found guilty, the league may give him a “very long holiday.”
B&T approached the Sydney Roosters for comment on the allegations, but no response was received.
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