Reece Walsh and Latrell Mitchell at centre of $2.35 million 'probe' over NRL rule breach
The NRL is investigating top rugby league players, including Reece Walsh and Latrell Mitchell, for failing to meet mandatory media commitment requirements. Officials are concerned that high-profile stars are not adequately promoting the sport despite the league's significant broadcast revenue.
Why it matters
It highlights the tension between professional athletes' personal privacy and their contractual obligations to promote the commercial interests of their sport.
The NRL is reportedly in talks with the Rugby League Players' Association (RLPA) and probing whether some of the game's biggest stars are fulfilling their media commitments. Under NRL rules , all players must be made available to speak to the media at least once every three weeks.
However the rules are rarely enforced and players go months at a time without speaking publicly. Latrell Mitchell only recently broke a 'self-imposed' 18-month 'ban' on speaking to the media, which Souths were happy to facilitate if it meant he was playing his best footy.
Latrell Mitchell and Reece Walsh are at the centre of the issue. Image: Getty
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