NRL promises to review scanning process for 'Fans in the Stand' after one prankster's joke left them VERY red-faced
- NRL left red-faced after murderers appeared in 'Fans in the Stand' during games
- Dr Harold Shipman who was found guilty of murder in 2000 appeared in stands
- Adolf Hitler also appeared in the 'Fans in the Stand' in NRL games over weekend
- Matthew Johns and Fox have since apologised for their Hitler skit
The NRL will review the screening process for its 'Fans in the Stand' initiative after it was revealed the face of an English serial killer appeared at Campbelltown.
Dr Harold Shipman was one of hundreds of faces placed in venues this weekend, after a joke from one fan got through the scanning process.
Shipman was an English general practitioner found guilty of 15 counts of murder in 2000, with his number of victims suspected to be far higher.
His photo would largely be unrecognisable to the vast majority of Australians.
Dr Harold Shipman (circled) appeared in the 'Fans in the Stand' over the weekend. Shipman was found guilty of 15 counts of murder in 2000
Dominic Cummings was one famous face spotted in the crowd at Bankwest Stadium for two matches
'We are reviewing the vetting process for Fan In The Stand,' an NRL spokesman said.
'The weekend was a trial run and trials are designed to iron out issues.'
It comes as Matthew Johns and Fox Sports apologised for an on-air comedy sketch that depicted Adolf Hitler in the crowd at a match on Sunday.
Hitler's face was not in the crowd of any game and would never have passed the NRL's vetting process, but others did.
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's under-fire adviser Dominic Cummings was one famous face spotted in the crowd at Bankwest Stadium for two matches.
His photo attracted some laughs and easy publicity for the NRL, with the story running in English newspapers after Cummings' coronavirus lockdown dramas.
Other notable inclusions sent through to third-party company Clarke Murphy Print were fans' pets and workmates photoshopped into opposition colours.
Photos of Peter FitzSimons and Jeff Kennett are believed to be among those the system rejected, with the $22 price refunded back to the buyer.
While most were in good humour, some clearly didn't fit the bill.
A cut-out of Adolf Hitler (pictured) appeared in NRL's 'Fans in the Stand' next to Nine presenter Richard Wilkins
Johns apologised for Sunday night's ill-advised on-air gag, that showed Hitler next to Nine presenter Richard Wilkins in the crowd
Under the NRL initiative, images of fans are placed on corflute cutouts at their selected stadiums until crowds return, when the displays will be returned to the supporters.
Johns apologised for Sunday night's ill-advised on-air gag, that showed Hitler next to Nine presenter Richard Wilkins in the crowd.
'The segment on my Fox League show on Sunday in which we showed an image of Hitler in crowd cut outs was in poor taste and completely inappropriate,' Johns said.
'I know Fox Sports has apologised but I need to personally step up to this.
'I know how raw and devastating those events remain for so many people and families.
'I acknowledge it was wrong and I apologise to our viewers and to everyone in the community who is rightly concerned and offended by the segment.'
Johns has since called NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff to apologise, while Fox have stated they are concerned about the incident and are investigating.
It came after Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin hit out at the broadcaster over the incident on Twitter.
'This sort of stupidity, the casualisation of Hitler, Nazis, and by extension their crimes, is what leads to swastikas being graffitied throughout our cities and school kids being harassed with gas chamber jokes,' he tweeted.
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