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There is no doubt that the NRL has had an off-season that has brought it very little, if any, joy. It seems we have been plagued by scandal after scandal. Questions arise however as to the conflict between the private and public life of an individual, particularly a sporting personality such as an NRL player.

Often what we are seeing are very personal and private acts of the individual being recorded surreptitiously and then distributed without the individual’s consent. In those circumstances, should the individual be held liable for their conduct which, on any view, is not illegal? Questions do arise however as to whether the individual, being a role model, has imposed upon them a greater obligation to ensure that they behave in a particular way. The issue is who has the authority, moral or otherwise, to determine what is and what is not acceptable conduct in private.