Bowler's ban for flopping out his 'old fella' overturned

REGRETS ACTIONS: David File said few saw the incident and no-one was offended.

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Gisborne bowler David File has had a 10-year ban for exposing himself at a tournament overturned.

An appeal to the judicial committee of New Zealand Bowls has been upheld.

The Gisborne East Coast Bowls Judicial Committee's decision was overturned, and the 10 year suspension from all bowls in NZ was substituted for a $500 fine.

In making its ruling, the judicial committee found that the incident occurred in the locker room and the penalty was "totally out of proportion to the seriousness of his misconduct''.

Speaking through his lawyer Jai Moss, who represented Gary Lawson during the Asia-Pacific bowls inquiry, File said he was "extremely pleased with the result and looks forward to being able to get back to playing bowls''.

The top ranked NZ lawn bowler exposed himself at an Easter tournament and was subsequently given the suspension.

At the time File admitted that he "flopped out my old fella" after a trip to the bathroom. According to File, he was trying to tell his team they were "playing like dicks."

The 43-year-old Gisborne painter said that he regretted his actions and maintained few saw his act and no-one was offended at the time.

But Bowls Gisborne East Coast took the matter into its own hands and hammered the former New Zealand representative with a 10-year ban.

File took up bowls as a 13-year-old, represented New Zealand during the 1990s and is regularly to the fore at national events

- © Fairfax NZ News