Australia's rugby league chief has made an unreserved apology for the "appalling" and "unacceptable" behaviour exhibited by some of the game's players towards women, in further fallout from an event involving a New Zealand woman seven years ago.
An Australian television documentary has highlighted the trauma suffered by women involved in sexual activities with NRL players, focusing on the case of one New Zealand woman who said it had ruined her life.
The NRL chief executive David Gallop, who's had to deal with several off-field incidents involving players this season, says the game owes women an apology.
The ABC's Four Corners programme highlighted the case of a woman who was fondled and touched by a group of Cronulla players in Christchurch in 2002.
She said another group of players watched.
Television personality and former Australia international Matthew Johns admitted last week he was involved in the incident but says the sex he had with the woman was consensual.
Police investigated the matter at the time but didn't lay charges after heading to Australia to interview all 40 members of the Cronulla club, who had been in Christchurch.
Gallop says the NRL has instigated education programmes in recent years to change players attitudes and underline such behaviour is unacceptable.
