Louisa Wall: Good and evil in the sporting classroom

The 2006 NRL season opens next week with the Warriors playing the Melbourne Storm at home on Sunday at Ericsson. Already the Warriors are behind the competition start line, given the management indiscretions over the last couple of seasons and the punishment dished out by the NRL.

Is it fair that the Warriors have to pay the price in 2006 for historical wrongs under governors since departed?

NRL chief executive David Gallop said the Warriors matter was a serious breach - and it certainly was.

He also said: "We can't have a system whereby clubs can gamble on breaking the rules, knowing that they can solve the issue at the end of the year by simply writing a cheque for a fine."

That would simply undermine the purpose of a salary cap and hence the foundation of the competition.

I think the NRL has shown how to act when clubs breach the rules.

The Australian Sports Commission will be pleased at the approach taken by the NRL. On its website it states that sport can teach honour, physical skills, discipline, self-esteem, humility, the team concept and healthy lifestyles. But it also notes that sport can also teach cheating, create inflated egos, and give a sense of entitlement that should not be tolerated.

Ethical issues include:

* Corruption, gambling, cheating, bribery, match-fixing.

* Cronyism, paternalism, nepotism, favouritism, discrimination and/or bias in organisational and board governance and in the appointment of people to paid or voluntary positions.

* Sportsmanship/fair play/sporting values: Being able to maintain and enhance the values around fairness, loyalty, co-operation, teamwork, courage and responsibility.

* Environments that frequently condone the win-at-all-costs ethos, and in which the financial incentives and benefits for winning and breaking records is increasing.

* Expectation for athletes to be role models/ambassadors at all times (both on and off the field).

* Excessive alcohol consumption and use of recreational drugs.

What most people want of sport:

* Athletes who can achieve (and win) in a fair manner and act as good role models.

* Participants to play not only by the rules of the game but in the spirit of the game.

* Sport to be an environment that is enjoyable and untainted by cheating, violence, abuse and other unacceptable practices.

* Respect shown by all involved in sport, especially for decisions of officials.

The Warriors' board needs to show the same respect to its officials as it (and the fans) expect of the players in their acceptance of the NRL's decisions.

They may be "shattered" by the punishment (a $482,666 fine and the deduction of four championship points before the start of this year's competition).

However, both punishments are acceptable given the NRL's role of ensuring the sustainability of the sport and its aim to produce a relatively even and exciting competition.

Salary caps ensure the player resource is shared as evenly as possible to produce the best sporting product. Without it, the players would concentrate in certain wealthy clubs and the competition would suffer.

Good on the Warriors' new management for identifying that there was a problem, and for fronting up and fully co-operating with the NRL. Their job now is to pay the fine, helped by getting supporters through the gates, and making sure the salary cap mess does not happen again.

Captain Steve Price has the right attitude. Although some people have already written off the chances of his team making the top eight, he believes the Warriors can make the play-offs.

That's a good start.

Let's hope the rest of his teammates think the same way. We will all know soon enough.