Angry about proposed travel ban exemption for footballers

[DC3]

So now that all the footy players, coaches and families have had their special treatment, what do we see ....

“Stars” do not need to follow the rules. “Stars” are exempt from such things.

Edited

 

[Seat0B]

“Stars” do not need to follow the rules. “Stars” are exempt from such things.

Edited

Yep, luckily it's only us little people who have to follow the rules

 

[Seat0B]

I just googled looking for all the reports about breaches of the COVID rules by accountants, cleaners, payroll clerks and engineers - zero results.

There were a couple of hits for massage parlours, brothels, gyms and restaurants, but nowhere near the number relating to the footy boys.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I just googled looking for all the reports about breaches of the COVID rules by accountants, cleaners, payroll clerks and engineers - zero results.

So do you really believe that not one accountant, cleaner, payroll clerk or engineer et al has been fined or issued a court summons for beaching a Covid 19 restriction? Might this be more driven what tabloid news deems to be newsworthy?



Also most of the protocols that the players have to follow are a lot more restrictive than the general population has to follow.

ie All of the accountants, cleaners, payroll clerks and engineers can shake hands, eat in restaurants etc. So no wonder there are no articles on what for most are not actual breaches.


And on the actual breaches of Covid19 restrictions, and not just protocols, if one actually knew the occupation of the may thousands fined you would most likely find ample accountants, cleaners, payroll clerks and engineers et al.

Off the top of my head apart from the prostitutes the profession is rarely mentioned with the only one I can readily recall was Eve Black, and that was probably as she was a stripper and someone recognised her from that and the media then decided that her profession was newsworthy.

 

[jase05]

I just googled looking for all the reports about breaches of the COVID rules by accountants, cleaners, payroll clerks and engineers - zero results.

There were a couple of hits for massage parlours, brothels, gyms and restaurants, but nowhere near the number relating to the footy boys.

I won’t defend them all because there are knuckleheads amongst them but most of the breaches are not breaches the general public would get in trouble for. The protocols set by the AFL and NRL are far stricter and it is their policies that have been breached. One of them for instance was a player in Adelaide who simply spoke to the media on his front lawn. He lives in Adelaide and hadn’t been interstate but under AFL rules it wasn’t permitted.

 

[ajw373]

So now that all the footy players, coaches and families have had their special treatment, what do we see:


But hey they all got fined or suspended, so that's OK.

What do you think should have happened to them? Taken out the back and shot?

Other than suspension and fines there is zero else that can be done, except maybe be sacked which is what is happened to one of the Bronco’s players.

Also you make mention of special treatment, you do realise that all the footballers are getting special treatment anyway but not in the way you are inferring. In each case they have restrictions over and above the plebs like us, and in all the above cases as far as I can tell the rules they have broken are these special rules rather than the day to day rules and restrictions the rest of us face. Which of course gets back to my first point what do you think should have happened to these players/coaches/officials/spouses?

 

[lonewolf]

Last few posts are exactly right, I dont quite get this anger at football players who have far far stricter restrictions than the general public and in a lot of cases have not seen their family or loved ones for several months. Perhaps people dont actually realise how much stricter their restrictions are and are being led by sensationalist media and dobbers who seem to have nothing better to do than try to go catch any football player stepping over the line.

 

[Seat0B]

Well now, let me see. If I were granted an exemption from the rules that apply to everyone else in Australia, on the condition that I accept limitations on my actions, and then I broke those voluntary additional conditions, I guess I’d expect that my exemption would be rescinded.

 

[Ekka]

The footballers must abide by far stricter rules than apply to the rest of us.

That's what a bubble is.

Those who do not are fined heavily - how would you like a 20 or fifty thou fine if you had the enormous hide to eat out when everyone at the other tables was permitted to do so?

 

[lonewolf]

Well now, let me see. If I were granted an exemption from the rules that apply to everyone else in Australia, on the condition that I accept limitations on my actions, and then I broke those voluntary additional conditions, I guess I’d expect that my exemption would be rescinded.

They actually werent granted an exemption from the rules because by the time the agreement had been worked out and everything was organised, the restrictions had already been eased for everyone. The rules and restrictions are to keep all the teams still playing in the comp because if a player got infected then the team and the coaching staff would have to isolate which would then rule them out of playing in the comp for minimum 2 weeks, and pretty much obscure the comp draw and tables / standings etc. Community sports is currently running as well as Universities are back open etc.

 

[DC3]

The footballers must abide by far stricter rules than apply to the rest of us ...

I don’t know about “must abide. Although it is expected of them to abide by the rules, some are unfortunately doing their own (wrong/stupid) thing. But, hey, they are Stars, apparently.

Fines do not do much more than providing the means of being able to pay your way out of a situation. Some have very adequate financial means, so it may not really act as a disincentive.

 

[lonewolf]

I don’t know about “must abide. Although it is expected of them to abide by the rules, some are unfortunately doing their own (wrong/stupid) thing. But, hey, they are Stars, apparently.

Fines do not do much more than providing the means of being able to pay your way out of a situation. Some have very adequate financial means, so it may not really act as a disincentive.

They not only get fines but also suspensions and one person has lost his 650k per year contract. Plus a lot of the footballers dont actually get paid that much, its only the elite that actually get a lot of cash. Due to salary caps, and to pay for the top players, a lot of other players get a lot lower salaries where these fines would be a fair whack into them.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

They not only get fines but also suspensions and one person has lost his 650k per year contract. Plus a lot of the footballers dont actually get paid that much, its only the elite that actually get a lot of cash. Due to salary caps, and to pay for the top players, a lot of other players get a lot lower salaries where these fines would be a fair whack into them.

These teams also include a range of sporting teams including netball, soccer and basketballers many of whom earn not that much.

Plus lets not forget all the other work created in these tough times:

• Ground staff from the groundskeeper to the cleaners to the caterers to door staff to security staff
• The physios and trainers
• Umpires
• Doctors and nurses
• The admin staff at the clubs
• All the staff working at the various resorts and hotels accommodating the teams
• Suppliers of sports clothing and equipment
• The bus drivers and airline staff
• Ticketing staff
• Businesses selling sporting fan gear and clothing
• Staff in the media including but not limited to journalists, photographers
• Staff at Foxtel including commentators, admin and sales staff etc (they have laid off many including one of my daughters, and would be a lot more without sporting content to drive subscriptions)
• People working in marketing and advertising
• etc

Wipe out all the professional sports from playing and you probably wipe out many, many other thousands of jobs beyond just the athletes themselves. In these tough times we need to keep as many industries active as we can.

Then there is the psychological benefit to many from watching some or all of these sports.

 

[lonewolf]

These teams also include a range of sporting teams including netball, soccer and basketballers many of whom earn not that much.

Plus lets not forget all the other work created in these tough times:

• Ground staff from the groundskeeper to the catering to door staff to security staff
• The physios and trainers
• Umpires
• Doctors and nurses
• The admin staff at the clubs
• All the staff working at the various resorts and hotels accommodating the teams
• Suppliers of sports clothing and equipment
• The bus drivers and airline staff
• Ticketing staff
• Businesses selling sporting fan gear and clothing
• Staff in the media including but not limited to journalists, photographers
• Staff at Foxtel including commentators, admin and sales staff etc (they have laid off many including one of my daughters, and would be a lot more without sporting content to drive subscriptions)
• People working in marketing and advertising
• etc

Wipe out all the professional sports from playing and you probably wipe out many, many other thousands of jobs beyond just the athletes themselves. In these tough times we need to keep as many industries active as we can.

Then there is the psychological benefit to many from watching some or all of these sports.

I think the pschological benefit is really not looked at by a lot of people complaining about sports being on. It plays a massive factor on people who are stuck at home and only get enjoyment from watching sports on tv since they are not able to do much else. I understand that its not everybody's interest, but Australia being a sporting nation, i think there is a lot of people who do get quite a bit of enjoyment out of it and in the current climate helps to keep them content and not go stir crazy. I know for me, this year is the most i have watched the NRL / Football channel ever. I have some friends who had been waiting for the season to restart for months as its something they look forward to every year and this year more than most.

 

[kookaburra75]

I think the psychological benefit is really not looked at by a lot of people complaining about sports being on. It plays a massive factor on people who are stuck at home and only get enjoyment from watching sports on tv since they are not able to do much else. I understand that its not everybody's interest, but Australia being a sporting nation, i think there is a lot of people who do get quite a bit of enjoyment out of it and in the current climate helps to keep them content and not go stir crazy. I know for me, this year is the most i have watched the NRL / Football channel ever. I have some friends who had been waiting for the season to restart for months as its something they look forward to every year and this year more than most.

Unfortunately, the way Essendon has been going this season, any psychological benefit has been well and truly cancelled out by the stress of watching them play - a draw for crying out loud!

 

[Ekka]

I don’t know about “must abide. Although it is expected of them to abide by the rules, some are unfortunately doing their own (wrong/stupid) thing. But, hey, they are Stars, apparently.

Fines do not do much more than providing the means of being able to pay your way out of a situation. Some have very adequate financial means, so it may not really act as a disincentive.

I wonder if Pangai's indefinite suspension satisfies? Bennett's two weeks?

As lonewolf and lovetravellingoz have mentioned very well, it's not for purely social reasons that there are special protocols which apply to Australia's elite athletes.

They don't apply to any friends of superseded Douglas airliners such as DC2s (a favourite of mine) or DC3s, which apparently you favour and in which I have flown many miles, from 1967 to 2000, when they became hard to find - just to elite athletes.

Apart from being too old and not good enough, that is one of the reasons I watch elite sport.

You don't; fair enough, but why on earth have a big go at those who do?

 

[NickCorr]

Unfortunately, the way Essendon has been going this season, any psychological benefit has been well and truly cancelled out by the stress of watching them play - a draw for crying out loud!

Completely in agreement with you mate...

 

[drron]

Completely in agreement with you mate...

Whereas as a Queenslander I felt a draw was a fitting result.

 

[mannej]

I just googled looking for all the reports about breaches of the COVID rules by accountants, cleaners, payroll clerks and engineers - zero results.

There were a couple of hits for massage parlours, brothels, gyms and restaurants, but nowhere near the number relating to the footy boys.

Just because you haven't been successful in looking for reports of breaches, doesn't mean there aren't any.

I would argue that this is worse given her position of trust - Northern suburbs dentist ‘breached quarantine to work’

 

[DC3]

.... But hey they all got fined or suspended, so that's OK.

Yes. Pity that playing by the rules is so hard for some.