Bowls: File happy with appeal decision

Gisborne's David File feels vindicated by Bowls New Zealand's (BNZ) decision to reduce his 10-year suspension to a $500 fine.

The former New Zealand representative was banned by a Bowls Gisborne East Coast judicial committee after exposing himself at a tournament in Gisborne in April.

But the BNZ judicial appeal committee today upheld File's appeal by quashing the ban. It said the incident occurred in the locker room and the original penalty was "totally out of proportion to the seriousness of his misconduct".

It said a $500 fine "more accurately reflects the nature of the misconduct".

File, 43, who represented New Zealand in the 1990s, acknowledged his actions were "out of line" but he today said the fine was fair and appropriate.

"I'm pretty rapt," he told NZPA.

"Finally, I think we've got someone who has a few brains and a bit of sense, and can see it for what it was. This just vindicates the fact the sentence was so far out of proportion.

"I was aware there was a process to go through and I knew what could happen and what the outcome might be, but I just think this committee in Gisborne over-reacted so it was just a matter of getting somebody independent to have a look so they could see it for what it was."

File had admitted that he "flopped out my old fella" after a trip to the bathroom to tell his teammates they were "playing like dicks".

"We've all been to parties where stuff like that happens. Everyone laughs and thinks it's a great joke."

File said he had received a lot of support from within the bowls community in Gisborne.

"I've had a lot of phone calls from people. It was meant to be a joke and most people have recognised that."

He was looking forward to playing again this summer and was unconcerned at how he would be received by bowls officials.

"I'm not in contention for higher honours, I've been there and done that so that doesn't worry me. I'm just pleased someone has seen some sense.

"If they had said at the start I was looking at a small fine and I should apologise, I would have been happy with that. All this didn't need to happen."

A BNZ statement said the committee "notes with concern the growing tendency for talented bowlers to seek to excuse improper, unethical or unacceptable behaviour or language because of their talent.

"In this case too, it may well be that a talented bowler was so affected by liquor (and/or a change of character brought about by it) as to realise that his actions could never be interpreted as "a silly joke" but in fact were quite distasteful, wherever they were committed."