The Sydney Roosters have today officially set a date for embattled player Mitchell Pearce‘s return to the club, but have confirmed that he will no longer serve as co-captain of the team.
Pearce returned from a four-week stint in a Thai rehab facility, battling problems with alcohol, after an incident in which he was filmed simulating a sex act on an acquaintance’s dog, as well as forcing a kiss on an unwilling female friend, with the video subsequently surfacing online.
In a statement released earlier this morning, the Roosters confirmed Pearce has been stripped of his co-captaincy, and suspended from the team’s leadership group.
Pearce remains officially unsuspended by the Roosters, who note that they have reserved their decision “until such time that further information can be obtained in relation to similar incidents.” Whatever the hell *that’s* supposed to mean.
Roosters CEO John Lee stated that Pearce’s health is the club’s main priority, and confirmed he will return to training in week’s time.
“After four weeks in an intensive rehabilitation facility, Mitchell’s well-being remains paramount. On the basis of medical advice received by the Club, and subject to the satisfactory assessment of his continuing rehabilitation, Mitchell will resume training at the Club from Monday, March 7.”
Pearce has had no official involvement with the club since the January 26th incident, and has subsequently missed a number of key dates including the Auckland Nines, the club’s high-performance training camp in Dubai, and the World Club Series. His truncated pre-season training schedule will also see him miss the NRL Round 1 clash against South Sydney.
The Roosters were quick to stress that information when pressed about any potential official sanctions for Pearce over the indecent incident.
Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty.
