The NRL has announced it has issued Brisbane Broncos star Ezra Mam with an infringement notice after he pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving.
Mam, 21, was handed a six-month driving ban and an $850 fine after pleading guilty to one count of driving while a relevant drug was present in the blood and driving without a licence.
It came after an incident on October 18 where Mum’s Ford Ranger was involved in a head-on collision with an Uber taxi. The 21-year-old also allegedly failed a roadside drug test.
He has avoided any criminal charges.
The penalty came under much scrutiny from many, including the mother of one of the Oatlans crash victims, with some calling her punishment a “slap on the wrist”.
On Monday afternoon, the NRL issued a statement announcing the Broncos star had been served with a Notice of Non-Compliance but would not reveal his sanction until Mum had the opportunity to respond.
“The National Rugby League (NRL) today issued Brisbane Broncos player Ezra Mam with an infringement notice alleging a breach of the NRL Code of Conduct,” the NRL said in a statement.
‘Mam pleaded guilty to driving while a relevant drug was present in her blood or saliva and driving without a license following an incident in October.
‘Brisbane Magistrates Court fined him $850 and disqualified him from driving for a period of nine months earlier this month.
‘The player also received a violation notice for not having proper control of a vehicle.
‘The Infringement Notice alleges that Mam has engaged in conduct that is against the law and has brought the game and his Club into disrepute.
“In accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the RLPA, information regarding the NRL’s proposed sanction will not be released until the player has had the opportunity to respond to the alleged breach and the matter is finalized.”
The NRL star checked into a rehabilitation center after the incident.
He admitted his regret to reporters outside a Brisbane court and apologized to those who were also involved.
A mother and her four-year-old daughter were traveling as passengers, and the mother later revealed that the girl had suffered a broken hip.
‘To the people involved in the accident, I am very sorry. “This incident is not a reflection of who I want to be and what is expected of me as a role model,” Mom had said.
‘To the NRL, the Brisbane Broncos, the fans, my family, I’m sorry. “I promise to work to be a better person.”
Passing sentence, Magistrate Nolan had said: “On this particular occasion you (Mum) should not have been driving because you did not have a licence,” the magistrate said.
‘Having made that stupid decision to get behind the wheel of the car, in addition to consuming illicit substances as well… a cocktail of cocaine and other materials that were found in his blood on this occasion.
‘On many levels you are lucky to be where you are today… you could have been hurt or killed, or the other people could have been hurt or killed.
‘There is no place for illicit drugs in our community, and there is certainly no place for a person who uses illicit drugs to get behind the wheel of a car.
“You have to learn from this.”
But Mam’s ban has left some outraged, with pressure mounting on the NRL to issue a severe sanction to the Broncos player. Radio host Mark Levy was one of those commentators who urged the league to ban Mam until 2026.
Bridget Sakr, the mother of Veronique Sakr, who tragically died in the Oatlands crash in 2020, said he should be banned for five years.
‘On Monday, the same day (Mom’s court case was announced), my daughter celebrated her 16th birthday in heaven. He is no longer with us,” said Bridget Sakr.
‘I don’t want any other family to celebrate their child’s birthday without being able to blow out the candles themselves. It is the most painful thing a parent can go through.
‘I have a photo of Veronique with a cake with 16, but Veronique is not there. What would have happened if those who suffered the accident (Mam) had died?
‘And this person (mom) gets a slap on the wrist, what is that? What does society learn from that pain? It made me angry, it’s unacceptable. I feel bad because I know what it feels like. I have lived the experience of losing my flesh and blood.’
Mam has not returned to training with his teammates so far this summer, but Broncos boss Michael Maguire stated earlier this summer that Mam’s five-year, $4 million contract will not be terminated. .
Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie also criticized the leniency of Mam’s punishment, calling it “shameful”.
“I think the sentence imposed on Ezra does not pass the pub test,” Bleijie said.
While Attorney General Deb Frecklington said the government would assess whether potential changes to existing laws were necessary.
“Most Queenslanders would expect the penalty for a driver who had drugs in their system to be more severe than the penalty for using a mobile phone while driving,” Mr Frecklington said.
“I will consult with my colleagues, particularly the Minister for Transport, and consider what changes can be made to our laws.”
More to follow…