Disgraced footy legend Mark Coyne resigns in shame from one of the game’s top jobs after his vile drunken outburst at a police officer
- Former QLD State of Origin and Australian representative Mark Coyne resigned
- He stepped down from his role as a Rugby League Commissioner on Saturday
- The move follows him pleading guilty to the verbal assault of a police officer
- He was fined $4,185 for the incident which occured in Singapore on June 2 2019
Mark Coyne has resigned from the Australian Rugby League Commission following a drunken outburst at a police officer in Singapore.
The former Queensland State of Origin and Australian representative player recently pleaded guilty to the verbal assault of the officer.
He was charged with ‘indecent, threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards or to a public servant or public service worker’, and received a $4,185 penalty.
The former Queensland State of Origin and Australian representative player recently pleaded guilty to the verbal assault of the officer
Coyne met with Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter Beattie on Saturday and submitted his resignation.
‘I’m a bit devastated about it… He was one of my best commissioners.’ Mr Beattie told the ABC.
In a statement confirming his resignation, Coyne said that he didn’t want the controversy to be a burden on the ARLC or the rugby in general.
‘Again, I regret deeply what happened in Singapore and my delayed reporting of it,’ the statement read.
‘Having reflected on the past few days, I have decided to continue my focus now and into the future on supporting coaching and developing rugby league players at my junior club, which is where is where my real passion lies.’
Coyne had been on a ‘boys trip’ in Singapore when he was arrested in the early hours of June 2 in the up-market Orchard Road district of Singapore after he failed to produce his passport.
According to the The Sydney Morning Herald, Coyne continued to rant at the police officer in transit to the police station.
Mark Coyne has resigned from the Australian Rugby League Commission following a drunken outburst at a police officer in Singapore
He called the sergeant a ‘f***ing dickhead’ and threatened to sue him ‘through your f***ing arse’.
Coyne’s charge sheet also shows that he said the police were a ‘bunch of f***ing idiots’ before telling Quan ‘you are a cock, you are a prick, you guys are f***wits’.
On Thursday Coyne emailed broadcaster Alan Jones to explain his actions.
‘Can I say upfront how embarrassed and ashamed I am of my behaviour,’ the email reads.
Coyne goes on to explain that he had been out with friends in Singapore when he ‘realised he had had too much to drink’.
He got into a cab and following a ‘misunderstanding’ the driver called the police.
‘Because I was not carrying my passport, the police said I was regarded as an illegal immigrant,’ Coyne said.
He had been a possible replacement for Beattie in the role of ARLC Chair before his resignation.