Australian Athletes Lose Face Over Hong Kong Ruckus-Raising
Australian Western Bulldogs Jarrad Grant and Adam Cooney Rukus in Hong Kong - Hong Kong - WSJ
SYDNEYIncriminating video footage of Australian athletes harassing people in a Hong Kong nightlife hot spot is the latest example of how the countrys top sports stars are getting noticed for all the wrong reasons.
The footage, released on YouTube, shows two top players of Australian Rules Football, Adam Cooney and Jarrad Grant, causing a ruckus with late-night motorists driving through the Hong Kong district thats a popular watering hole with expatriates.
The athletes themselves havent commented on the matter, but the managers of their football club, the Western Bulldogs, issued a statement saying they are aware of the video are extremely frustrated and disappointed by what has occurred.
The video of the players revelry at the end of a long season in the rough-and-tumble sport is the latest in a series of scandals to embarrass top sportsmen here. Leading team St. Kilda Football Club recently suspended four players amid allegations of alcohol and drug abuse, just weeks after the club was forced to deal with compromising nude pictures of players posted on Facebook.
With the season due to start next month after an eventful break most team managers and coaches hope to make it to the first kick-off without further embarrassment.