Two footy agents land in hot water with the NRL as league chiefs propose hefty bans and fines for breaching Agents’ Code of Conduct

• Two footy agents have been hit with breach notices 
• The NRL has proposed hefty bans and fines  

By ED CARRUTHERS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

The NRL has slapped two player agents with proposed sanctions after the pair are alleged to have breached the league’s rules.

On Thursday afternoon, the AFL published a statement online in which it stated that Mario Tartak and Matthew Desira had been issued with show cause notices.

The pair have until Tuesday to respond.

Tartak, who manages Josh Addo-Carr and Josh Schuster, is facing a 12-month ban and a $25,000 fine after the NRL accused him of ‘communicating with an underage player without a parent and/or legal guardian being present.’

The NRL also claims Tartak had commenced a ‘commercial arrangement’ with two footy clubs, which contravened the rules of the league’s Accredited Agent Scheme Rules.

The NRL wrote in a statement: ‘The proposed penalty took into consideration previous breach proceedings which imposed conditions that further breaches could result in suspension of accreditation.’

The NRL has slapped two player agents with proposed sanctions after the pair are alleged to have breached the league’s rules

Mario Tartak, who manages Josh Addo-Carr, is one of the agents to have been issued with the breach notice 

Meanwhile, Desira, is facing a six-month ban and a $10,000 fine.

League chiefs claim his proposed sanctions relate to non-reporting and dishonesty ‘following police charges and court proceedings which were brought against’ the player agent, who is the director of Aria Management Group, who have players including Hayden Campbell and Bronson Xerri on their books.

‘Under the Accredited Agents’ Code of Conduct, Accredited Agents are required to operate with high personal and professional standards,’ the league explained.

Desira was charged with the possession of cocaine last year and pleaded guilty. No conviction was recorded.

He was allegedly on a night out at Sussudio in Potts Point, when he was arrested for possession of the substance on April 5.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the NRL’s breach notice relates to claims that Desira’s initial claims to police and the Agents Accreditation Scheme that he had not been arrested. He had claimed that a person who he knew had been using his identity and was in possession of the prohibited substance.

Magistrate Scott Nash later said that the offence was ‘on the lower end of seriousness. It’s out of character based on his record. He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.’

Tartak’s counsel, Nick Ghabar, told The Sydney Morning Herald: ‘This is a matter that directly involves my client’s livelihood and as such my client intends to respond to the NRL’s show-cause notice as is appropriate.

‘To be clear, he does not accept any assertion that he knowingly contravened the Player Agent Rules. His response will come in the fullness of time and it would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this time.’

:
Two footy agents land in hot water with the NRL as league chiefs propose hefty bans and fines for breaching Agents’ Code of Conduct

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk