So Greg Bird, on his honeymoon no less, has received an infringement notice and fine for urinating publicly. Apparently the act occured after a dinner held with family and friends at the Beach Hotel between Bird’s own vehicle and a police car.

Bird’s statement this afternoon whilst appropriately full of contrition raised this question in my mind: if he had just left the pub why didn’t he relieve himself inside before heading to his car? Strikes me as a ridiculously simple way of avoiding what has now become a kerfuffle being investigated by Bird’s club and the NRL Integrity Unit.

This is, if nothing else, a reminder that our sports men and women are, rightly or wrongly, held to a higher standard than that of ordinary members of the public. After all: Bird’s infringement notice arose following a complaint from the public to the police NOT the police catching him mid-stream. I have no doubt no such complaint would have been made of the urinator was not a sportsman of some not.

Sooner or later those who entertain us through sport will hopefully learn this lesson. I am surprised that they haven’t already to be honest.