We value the escapism that sport gives us. We like to back a winner, even if it takes ten, twenty or more years to become a winner, just ask a Richmond supporter. As a parent, we also value the role modelling of sports persons, particularly in recent years with women’s sport. Steve Smith, Dave Warner and Cameron Bancroft all made a grave mistake when they decided to ball tamper in South Africa last week. Australians pride themselves on their sporting prowess, and success, and historically, we are very vocal about cheating of all kinds – match fixing, doping, ball tampering, and gambling related scandals. And rightly so.
There is no doubt the players deserve severe consequences that send a message from Cricket Australia that this conduct will not and cannot be tolerated. It is not what the Australian Cricket Team stands for and we are better than that. Amidst the gloom, positives can be taken from the situation. Steve Smith who was touted as the next Don Bradman made a serious error of judgement. Clearly he did not think it through. But he can’t take back what he’s done.
The next best thing he can do is step up and take responsibility. In his press conference on his return to Sydney, he took responsibility (through tears). He has apologized to the children who look up to him, he has apologized to his family. His apology appears heartfelt and genuine. He personally apologized to the son of nine news presenter Deb Knight who was distraught after Smith’s press conference. This should be the measure of Smith rather than his ball tampering, but it does not let him off the hook.
This is in contrast to James Hird who initially apologized for the Essendon supplements saga, but quickly retreated from that apology, saying it was only made because he was told by the AFL to apologise. The damage and financially consequences of that lack of remorse was felt by Hird and the Essendon Football Club for over four years. The denials of wrongdoing cost the club arguably tens of millions of dollars and massive reputational damage, and contributed to the saga dragging out over four years instead of potentially less than twelve months. Cronulla Sharks in the NRL committed similar supplements offences to Essendon yet their plea of guilty and management of the issue meant only a three week suspension for players, in contrast to Essendon’s twelve months. Within two years of their indiscretions, the NRL were Premiers under the same coach who had overseen their supplements regime.
Even though Cricket Australia has lost a number of major sponsorships reputedly worth tens of millions of dollars, the sooner ownership can be taken for the wrong doing, the sooner the rebuild of Australian team culture based on solid values can occur, the restoration of credibility and a positive brand.
The twelve month ban will cost him a minimum of $4.5 million in contracts plus sponsorship revenue loss. Remember that the International Cricket Council only thought the conduct was worth a one game ban plus loss of Smith’s match fee.
The lesson is that we can all make mistakes, some of them observed by billions of people around the world as happened here. We can’t take back our actions, all we can do is address our behavior in the most constructive way that seeks to show remorse. It is early days, but we hope that Steve Smith’s apology is a first step towards a path of rebuilding his and Australian cricket’s rightful world beating reputation.
Paul Horvath is Principal of SportsLawyer.
