Under-fire NRL star Latrell Mitchell has emerged into the spotlight for the first time since the storm erupted over his photo in white powder, and looked concerned as he was pictured near his home in Sydney’s south on Wednesday.
The Souths full-back has been keeping a low profile since the scandal broke on August 12, when it was revealed he was being investigated by the NRL’s Integrity Unit over an image that appears to show him bending over an unidentified white powder on a table.
The NRL has issued an infringement notice against Mitchell and he is expected to be suspended for one match and fined. He has until Thursday night to respond.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that the substance in the photo is an illicit drug.
The blonde woman pictured with him, Amy Brown, has made a series of shocking claims and threats as she lashed out at being blamed for leaking the image.
There has been intense speculation that fed-up Souths officials will take tough disciplinary action when he appears before the board later this week.
On Wednesday, the 27-year-old appeared to have the weight of the world on his shoulders as he was spotted talking on the phone near his home, before handing a compression sleeve commonly used by football players to treat and prevent injuries to someone in a waiting car.
He also stepped out with his longtime partner, Brielle Mercy, who was pushing a stroller after giving birth to their first child last December.
A worried-looking Latrell Mitchell is pictured outside his home in Sydney’s south on Wednesday as his deadline to respond to the NRL’s infringement notice over his scandalous white powder photo approaches.
Mitchell was not wearing any protective equipment on the injured foot that has kept him out of action again this season.
The under-fire Souths star had a deadpan expression as he stepped out with his long-term partner Brielle Mercy (pictured together).
The 27-year-old is expected to chair a board meeting with angry Souths bosses this week.
Mitchell was not wearing any protective equipment on the injured foot that has kept him out of action since July 4.
Souths and the Rugby League Players’ Association have come under fire for trying to get him to serve his one-game suspension this season, despite Bunnies coach Ben Hornby saying the injury has ruled him out for the rest of the year.
The RLPA says NRL rules state that when a player receives a ban from the governing body, “that ban or suspension will take effect immediately”.
RLPA executive director Clint Newton said the organization believes it is clear that “a suspension takes effect as soon as it is determined… It is not conditioned on a player being available to take the field.”
Former NRL star turned TV pundit and player manager Braith Anasta described the decision as “nonsense” on Tuesday.
After saying Mitchell and the club must be aware that the NRL’s intention is for him to serve the suspension when he is healthy enough to play, Anasta told Foxtel’s NRL 360: “It’s just common sense, isn’t it?
‘Serving the suspension this season would be a real nonsense if you took one of those games that he was never going to play and used that as a suspension.’
Pictured: Mitchell appears to be leaning over an unidentified white powder on a table with his left hand over his face.
Fellow host and former football star Gorden Tallis agreed, saying: “If I was the head of the players’ association, I would have to hold the players to account at some point.”
Brown, who revealed herself to be the woman in the photo, threatened to leak “every juicy detail” about what happened when the photo was taken in a shocking statement on Facebook on Sunday.
Souths confirmed in a statement that the image was taken during Mitchell’s trip to Dubbo for personal football-related appearances two weekends ago.
When Brown was blamed for leaking the photo, she responded dramatically.
“I didn’t ruin anyone’s career!” he posted.
‘I think it’s time to leak every juicy detail of what happened in that room.
‘I’m so sick of everyone thinking of me as the bad guy.
The woman pictured with Mitchell wearing the white powder, Amy Brown (pictured), has threatened to leak “every juicy detail” about what happened when the image was taken.
‘All I did was go out partying with my best friend (no regrets), I’ve been honest from the beginning and I will continue to be honest.
“I have nothing to hide. Despite all this shit!”
Brown has previously made illuminating claims about what allegedly occurred in the Dubbo hotel room where the image was taken.
“The reason I did this (he confirms his identity in the image) is because everyone is accusing me of doing something wrong,” Brown responded to another Facebook user.
‘My so-called friend posted a picture of me and it fell into the wrong hands.
‘I have every right to write this status but still I get criticized… all I did was go to a motel where my friend was because she called me after a night of partying, I was there for no more than an hour and left.
‘Everyone is blaming the wrong person here.’
