With AAP.
South Sydney superstar Sam Burgess has issued his first statement on the sexting scandal that has engulfed the club.
Burgess addressed reporters on Tuesday, saying he’s keen for the “truth to come out” about allegations lewd images were sent to a young woman after a match earlier this season.
“While the investigation is going on we’ve been told to publicly make no comment … I’m following the process,” Burgess said.
“I’m not going into the detail of anything.
“I’m happy for the truth to come out. That’s going to be my answer to the majority of your questions.
“Hopefully within 24 hours, 48 hours I think it should be resolved.”
According to The Daily Telegraph, Burgess was among a group of players who exposed themselves, without consent, to a 23-year-old woman in a series of video chats on May 26 – an exchange, the woman said, that left her feeling “violated and uncomfortable”.
While their faces are reportedly obscured, the woman claims the footage came from a verified Facebook account in Sam Burgess’ name.
Neither the Rabbitohs nor the NRL has confirmed the identity of the players pictured in the footage, but Burgess’ brother and South Sydney teammate, Tom Burgess, appeared to acknowledge that the 29-year-old had played some role in the scandal.
“Obviously he’s made a mistake, but he’s going to be alright,” he told Channel 9 on Saturday. “There’s an investigation going on now but they’ll sort it out.”
In his statement on Tuesday, Burgess thanked his friends and family for their recent support during what has been a "tricky few days", making special mention of his wife Phoebe, who is pregnant with their second child.
“I’m not angry. What hurts me the most is seeing my wife upset about what’s out there,” he said. “I just want to protect my family in this whole thing."
“I’ve got a wife. I’ve got a daughter. My wife’s heavily pregnant. I just want them to be safe and happy. In my current situation at home there’s just no chance of that.
"It's been a tough process to go through, (for) the family together, but fortunately I've got a strong wife. A wife who loves me.
"I've got great family, great friends, great support around me.
"You do feel it, but I've had certain experiences in my life before, had serious emotions I've had to deal with, and football has always been great for me."
Top Comments
W. T. F.
I hope to god she leaves him. She is better than that. His whole statement is 'me me me' . You have a strong wife? She shouldn't have to be strong on account of you being a dickhead. You should be hanging your head in shame and begging for her forgiveness. Men like this disgust me. My husband and I have something of an agreement. If either of us did something so horrible to the other, that's a deal breaker. The one wrongly done by cleans the other out and rightly so. I hope she cleans him out and moves on with his life, he can have his football and his bros.
So if someone seeks to contact and then after the interaction accuses your husband of something then leaves the country and refuses to talk about it, you would leave him?
Separation of the family may yet be on the cards but we have only heard one side of the story from someone that reportedly sought and initiated contacted with the fellow and states she didn't like the path the conversation went (quite possibly for very valid reasons).
In summary, not many people are aware of enough of the facts to pass judgement so freely.
My take: The girl at the centre of the Souths has received a settlement payment and we'll hear no more of it.
Sam Burgess is renowned for toughness, but is now not renowned at all for his brains or judgement.
I did read earlier that she’s left the country and can’t be contacted to answer further questions. Not sure if that’s true, but would make sense if she’s been paid out.
She's in South Africa and is refusing to be interviewed.