Craig Young has stepped down from his position on St George Illawarra’s board.
Young was last week embroiled in controversy when it was revealed he used club letterhead to write a character reference for Brett Finch, who was in court facing charges relating to a child sex carriage service.
“I have this afternoon advised my colleagues of the board of the St George Illawarra Dragons of my decision to stand down as a director of the club immediately,” he said in a club statement.
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“I believe it is in the best interests of the club – the interests I have always proudly sought to work for and positively represent.
“I believe this is the appropriate action, given my individual decision to provide a personal reference on official letterhead, for which I have already apologised (in an earlier statement).
“I regret my error in judgement to provide the reference on letterhead, at the request of legal representatives.
“I do not regret my decision to provide a character reference for a long-time family friend as to his character and behaviour, prior to a damaging addiction.”
WIN CEO Andrew Lancaster will now step into the role of chairman, a position he was scheduled to take up in November as part of the joint venture agreement.
Finch, who played 270 NRL matches and represented New South Wales, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to one count of using a carriage service to transmit, publish or promote child abuse material in August.
In a letter to the District Court judge, Young wrote that Finch was a “highly decent young man.”
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