NRL CEO Andrew Abdo is distancing the game from the views of advisor Catharine Lumby, who had been described as their chief gender advisor.

Broncos player Payne Haas avoided a conviction after a showdown with police where he told a female officer, “Cause you’re a woman you think I won’t touch ya’.”

Advisor Catharine Lumby told The Daily Telegraph cultural differences could explain the player’s behaviour.

The NRL claims she never held the role of chief gender advisor, despite having advised the NRL on a pro bono basis since 2004.

“We’ve never had a chief gender advisor,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo told Ben Fordham.

“She has provided advisory work to us in the past. She sits on a committee… but that committee hasn’t sat in six months.

“This is not the views of the NRL. We will be making no excuses for any players who abuse police.”

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Image: Nine News