I disapprove of James Graham’s attack on Ashley Klein. But I’ll defend his right to spray it
Referees might make tremendously bad decisions; howlers, even. Harold “Dickie” Bird – the much respected cricket umpire, who died this week – did, regularly. He’d often admit it, in a wry way. Nobody ever dared refer to him as Graham referred to Ashley Klein.
And yet commentating is an art that paints a picture in real time. There’s no seven-second delay, and there must be a balance; some latitude.
James Graham remonstrates with referee Ashley Klein during his playing days.Credit: Getty Images
For a good percentage of rugby league fans, and certainly those of particular persuasions, it’s likely a highpoint of their existence to pay good money to bask in the half-light of an early spring evening in Sydney and vomit unprintable scorn for two hours towards a referee they’ve never ever met.
That’s the contract the spectator makes when purchasing a ticket, although matters can descend too far from any acceptable standards of human conduct. It’s not the deal the pundit makes, however.
It’s an ugly look for someone of Graham’s status to speak such jibber-jabber. I can say with the utmost sincerity that Graham is one of the nicest, most articulate and intelligent current or former professional rugby league players I’ve ever had the good fortune of meeting.
He is capable of much greater forms of expression than to throw slurs on the character and intellectual faculties of a referee. Richie Benaud would roll over in his grave over much less. Every artist has their own style, but perhaps also the art world judges the artist more accurately than the art lover ever can.
Media commentators aren’t bound by sporting codes of conduct like players, coaches and spectators, and nor should they be.
Spectators and the InstaSnapTok people have every right to boo and hiss, and the law allows them to publish with (almost – just ask Brittney Higgins) impunity. However, it creates an ethical stain when someone with such a prominent voice is permitted to say such things without consequence.
For it’s a defining characteristic of sports that field-of-play decisions must be respected; that sports tribunals and administrations must not trespass upon the character of match officials. Even if they royally stuff up. There has to be some limit here, and Graham broke the limit.
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Yet just as players might come up short in the heat of battle, there’s no effort without shortcoming when it comes to match officials – or commentators. Everyone, in all walks of professional life, makes mistakes. Sport doesn’t occur in a vacuum.
Freedom of speech and expression can’t be enjoyed in a silo. Rugby league commentators can say what they want. But then again, of course they bloody well can’t.
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