Sydney Roosters prop Spencer Leniu has confirmed his intention to plead guilty to a contrary conduct charge stemming from an incident during Round 1 in Las Vegas.
The NRL has agreed to expedite the judiciary hearing to Monday night following a request from the Roosters.
During the match in Las Vegas, play was stopped, and Leniu was reported for allegedly making a racial slur against Brisbane Broncos indigenous fullback Ezra Mam. Referee Adam Gee received the complaint from Mam but stated he hadn’t heard anything himself, deciding to put the incident on report for further investigation.
Subsequently, it was reported that Leniu had directed a racial slur at Mam, resulting in a direct referral to the judiciary for a charge of contrary conduct, confirmed by the match review committee on Monday.
Leniu, who had previously remained silent aside from a brief interview with Triple M Radio after the game where he downplayed the incident as “all fun and games on the field,” has now issued a statement through the club confirming his guilty plea.
In his statement, Leniu apologized to Mam and emphasized that he never intended the slur in a racist manner.
Roosters’ CEO Joe Kelly also extended apologies to Mam and his family, emphasizing the club’s support for Leniu throughout the process.
The Roosters have expressed respect for the judiciary process and indicated that they will refrain from further comment until after the hearing.
