Caso Kurtley Beale, ecco il messaggio che ha dato il via a tutto

ph. Jason O’Brien/Action Images

Una foto di una donna obesa e sette parole: ““Di — who wants a go f……. this?”. Di è Di Patston, la Team Business Manager della nazionale wallabies al centro del “caso Kurtley Beale” e che si è dimessa un paio di giorni fa dopo che la stampa ha parlato di una sua relazione sentimentale con il ct ewen McKenzie, che però ha negato con forza la cosa. Quelle parole sono il messaggio mandato da Beale a tutto il gruppo whatsup della nazionale australiana, gruppo però dove è compresa anche la stessa Patston. Che una volta letto il messaggio è andata su tutte le furie e sull’aereo che portava la squadra dal Sudafrica all’Argentina per l’ultimo turno di Rugby Championship è scoppiato il finimondo.
Intanto il giocatore incassa il sostegno del capitano wallabies Michael Hooper che ha detto alla stampa che “Kurtley non dovrebbe essere cacciato”.

UPDATE: il Daily Telegraph ha pubblicato una serie di messaggi che Beale e la Patston si sono scambiati negli ultimi giorni. Eccoli:

Patston: I am sitting here in the team room doing my job and I can’t stop crying. What did I do to you? You have barely known me a day. I can’t stop crying I am so humiliated by this. Don’t you think my job is hard enough without this? This is how the only female staff member is treated? I am so embarrassed by this I am leaving for my room I can’t stop crying thanks a lot.

Beale: I was layin on my bed I didn’t send it to anyone I sent it to myself. Youve done nothing wrong youve been so good to me & your such a lovely lady. We all see how hard you work for us. I just do stupid things for no reason. I was laying here getting ready for lunch & training mucking around. I hate I have done this to you & I am so sorry di.

Patston: Leave me alone please. I’ve come to my room. The team room is full of players I know you’ve sent it on to them but I’ll never know to who.

Just leave me alone this is not ok. Do you realise the situation you’ve put me in? I have earned this job and I am proud of being a female at this level. If I complain then I make it hard for women in Rugby and it puts the reputation of the entire squad at stake. Do you realise the situation I am?

Just leave me alone please. I don’t want to hear from you until my distress has settled.

Beale: Ok I feel so bad.

Patston: You may feel bad but if you did not accidentally send them to me how many more would there be? Are you sorry you did it or just sorry you got caught? Think about that.

Beale: I just don’t know what to do. I’m so sorry.

Patston: Glad we got the chance to catch up and talk it through. I wanted you to look me in the eyes and realise I am a person – a mum, wife and daughter (all those things we discussed) and how they would feel seeing what you sent me. I’ll never know who you sent them to or why; but everyone deserves a chance.

You were clearly upset and showed remorse which I am for.

I hope you can move on from this with a greater respect for treating people the right way. As I said, I won’t be telling Ewen, or the ARU as you are entitled to one mistake and be a better person for it. I hope this is your moment and you gain a greater respect for the people here doing a job for you and the rest of the team.

Let’s move on from this and start anew. No need to talk about it any further. Di.

Beale: I can’t believe your not going to tell Ewen or the ARU this means so much to me & I have learned my lesson I promise you. You have been very kind to me di and I’ll never do anything like this again. Seeing you so upset hurt me I couldn’t deal with it. You have my respect & deserve better you do so much for us & work so hard. Wish I could take it back. Thankyou di.