Thread by @LeagueUnlimited

COMING UP LIVE 📺

Manly are set to hold a press conference featuring coach Des Hasler and captain Daly Cherry-Evans.

We'll tweet live as it happens.

Looking like both Fox Sports News and ABC News will take it live, among others.

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Journalists are yet to be let into the room at Manly HQ

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Media now inside and set up... stay tuned!

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Hasler and DCE are up.

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Hasler: "We are here today to apologise for a significant mistake made by the MWSEFC"

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"The intent of the rainbow colour was to represent diversity and inclusion. Utilising the symbolic colours of pride to represent all groups"

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"Sadly, the execution was poor.

There was little consultation or collaboration with key stakeholders. Both inside and outside the club.

Sadly, this poor management and project management has caused significant confusion,
discomfort and pain for many people."

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"In particular, those groups whose human right we were, in fact, attempting to support. We have even adversely affected our player group, a wonderful group of people
comprising of many different racial and cultural backgrounds."

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"We wish to sincerely apologise for the stakes, for the mistakes we have made. We wish to apologise to the minority groups within the community who embraced the rainbow colours."

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"...as a symbol of pride in who they are, what they stand for and their impassioned advocacy to enhance basic tolerance and acceptance within the diversity and inclusion space."

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"We wish to apologise to the
LGBTQ community who embrace the rainbow colours who use this for pride in advocacy and human rights issues.

It plays an integral role for the inclusion and diversity of all minority groups."

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"We acknowledge the role of the LGBTQ community in
playing in breaking down barriers for many other groups who also utilise the rainbow colours. As a source of pride."

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"We wish to apologise to the Australian Rugby League commission, the NRL and the
other 15 NRL clubs for creating negative news, shifting the spotlight from the launch of the Women in League round."

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"We wish to apologise to our own playing group
and staff for any confusion, discomfort and pain that the mistake we have made may have caused them.

We accept your cultural beliefs and hope that you can accept our apologies."

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"Harvard professor Robert
Putman as stated in an extensive work on establishing a civil society:

'to create civility, we need to embrace three core values. Cooperation, trust, and civility.

In this situation, we have been poor in
exhibiting behaviours aligned to these."

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"If we had suitably cooperated with key stakeholders, both internally and externally, we would have cultivated, hopefully, a more
suitable trust that would have ideally led to our action."

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"Our intent was to be caring and compassionate towards all diverse groups who face inclusion issues daily, however instead of enhancing tolerance and acceptance, we may have hindered this."

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"This was the opposite of our intent.

Please let me tell you a final anecdote.

A close friend and confident who is autistic. He is a passionate advocate for the rights of the neuro diverse and embraces the rainbow colours."

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"As a symbol of neuro
diversity ride. He was very angry thanks angry about how the club handled such an important opportunity to raise awareness and support advocacy for the diversity and inclusion of human rights movement"

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"He then reflected on how intolerant people have been towards him. How he had been marginalised when he communicated poorly. He made communication mistakes. Not because he was mean-spirited, in fact, he had a heart as big as Phar Lap, because it was because he was neurodiverse."

"He said, how can I be intolerant towards the club when I want people to be tolerant towards my mistakes and those of neuro diverse people? I want people to accept me for my intent and big heart."

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"I am reminded of Gandhi's
... quote, be the change you want to see in the world. I truly hope the communities, the NRL, our players and our staff have caused confusion and pain can accept our apologies."

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Personally, I share the views of inclusiveness across the game and society. As an important matter, the NRL is from everyone. In this specific instance, I feel for these players."

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"Not included in any of the discussions, and at a minimum, they should have been consulted. There will always be subsets of society who have cultural and religious views and they must always be considered."

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"Ultimately this comes down to discussion and collaboration. None of the coaching staff nor the players had prior knowledge of the jersey.

They are not wearing the jersey as it conflict with their cultural and religious beliefs. And I am concerned for their welfare."

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"Their spirituality is a central part of their well being. The club has made an error from which it will learn. The players will not lay on Thursday and we accept their decision."

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"These young men are strong in their beliefs and convictions. We'll give them space. And the support they require. The playing group are solid and understanding of each other's views. As a club, we will wear the jersey on Thursday night."

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"I personally played with Ian Roberts and wholeheartedly admire his contribution to the game. And also to society, in raising awareness and acceptance of diversity and inclusion."

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RE Roberts: "He was a great man and a great citizen of our society. The role he has played at our club, and the community, cannot be understated. We must continue to seek out his guidance and opinions."

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"While we have come along way as a society, there's no doubt much work to be done, particularly in education. That includes the NRL. For any person struggling with identity, we acknowledge the challenges and difficulties."

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My heart goes out to you and your families, and if the club can personally do anything to assist, we will. We are here, we offer our complete support. I apologise to anyone to whom this matter has caused distress. Thank you."

Hasler's statement concludes

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Asked why he's making the apology and not management, Hasler says "you'll need to ask management"

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Asked about the impact on the seven players and their welfare, Hasler:

"It's going to be ongoing so we are going to have to monitor support there."

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Asked if they considered withdrawing the jersey:

"That was a discussion we had with the NRL but the fact is, we had that initiative, and the initiative, the jersey is about inclusiveness and diversity which we will support."

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Around Women in League Round and why choose this:

"Originally the jersey was about inclusiveness and
diversity across society. It is about women in league"

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DCE on the 7 players:

"Because it's so recent, no-one 's raised any specific concerns but like Des has said, there is a reason why everyone is here today...."

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"...it's big news and we need to make sure we look after our teammates because it's going to be a period that they haven't experienced before as professional athletes."

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DCE: "There are going to be 17 players out there celebrating inclusiveness and diversity so I think hopefully we can start to shift our attention towards the good intentions that were had."

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DCE: "I'm going to be at their proudly wearing the jersey to try to endorse inclusiveness and diversity. And eventually, once we get over the fact that people have made a decision not to play, there are people making a decision to be out there."

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"I see this as a challenge as a player, as the skipper for the side in the club.

There are six games to go so, you know, the reality is we need to win most of them but we do not necessarily need to win all of them."

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Journo: "This jersey is now sold out, would you encourage the club to donate those profits?

Hasler: "I think it is an initiative like that. Is great thing."

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Did he ask the players to reconsider?

DCE: "I did not. Sometimes it is best when you have this sort of stuff going on in your
personal life it probably doesn't help to go out there and perform at a level"

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Journalist asking if we should keep politics out of sport:

"In a perfect world that would probably be the case. But we are humans, we are frail and we make mistakes. Intolerance, it is important that we move forward and that is what we have attempted to do today."

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Hasler then confirms he hasn't spoken to Ian Roberts yet but will catch up with him.

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DCE on a Pride Round:

"One of the positives that will come from this, as a game, we get a better understanding where some players stand on the situation and if they do want to get a bit more of the lay of the land

Will be up to
the NRL whether they wanted to proceed."

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That's the end of the presser.

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