Rugby worry

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

POLICE have called on the Government to ban the live telecast of the State of Origin matches because of the number of deaths and incidents resulting from them.

Enga provincial police commander acting Superintendent George Kakas told The National that the State of Origin matches, featuring the best rugby league players from New South Wales and Queensland, were “of no benefit” to PNG people. 

But many lives of local rugby league fans had already been lost and properties damaged because “people go crazy” from watching the three-match annual series.

Last week, five people died and other passengers seriously injured, when the truck they were travelling in after watching the final match of the 2015 series last Wednesday in Mt Hagen, went off the road.

Other injured passengers were admitted at the Mt Hagen General Hospital.

At Teremanda village just outside Wabag town, youths pelted each other with stones at the roadside market after watching the State of Origin game decider.

Kakas said police quickly stopped the fight.

Police had reported deaths and incidents around the country related to the rugby league matches.

In New Ireland, a youth has been charged with the death of another following an argument over the result of the State of Origin match.

In Port Moresby, a brawl led to the death of a man at Erima Wildlife after the second match of the series.

National Capital District Metropolitan Superintendent Andy Bawa said the match was being played in Australia involving Australian players and had nothing to do with PNG people who ended up resorting to violence.

Kakas said the influence of the State of Origin matches was starting to reach out to people in Enga who had no interest in the matches before.

“Now the young generation are painting their faces with the Blues and Maroons colours and start getting excited one day before the game starts,” he said.

Kakas said the solution, before more people got killed, was to ban the live telecast of the games in PNG.

He said many people were killed after watching the State of Origin matches in Western Highlands, Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands.

“This game is of no economic, political or social benefit to the people in the country. 

“It is played some thousand miles away in Australia and there is no point supporting or watching this game,” he said.

Kakas compared it to a cult which people were worshiping and even sacrificing their lives over.

He said many law and order problems in the province were related to the game and was giving police more headaches.

He said during the State of Origin, police wasted resources to conduct patrols at night.

He suggests that it is best to ban the live telecast and whoever wants to watch the series can travel to Australia to watch it live.