A Measured Response to “Monster in Maroon”: Addressing Both the Article and the Commentary

Jul 01, 2025 Sports

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By Dr. Fitzroy Tyrrell

Kaieteur Sports – As a pastor and father of two sons who play sports, both pieces raise critical issues that deserve careful consideration.

Responding to Rawle Toney’s “Monster in Maroon”

The Article’s Strengths and Concerns

Toney’s article tackles a crucial issue that many in sports media avoid: the pattern of sexual violence by athletes and how athletic talent often shields perpetrators from consequences. His central thesis—that we need to stop protecting predators simply because they can play cricket well—is correct and needs to be said loudly and clearly.

As a pastor, I appreciate Toney’s moral clarity. He writes, “He is not a hero. He is a predator.” This kind of direct language reflects what Ephesians 5:11 calls us to do: “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Too often, we speak in euphemisms about sexual violence, which minimizes the severity of the harm caused.

Toney’s observation that “sexual violence by athletes is not new globally” aligns with research by Brackenridge (2001), who documented that “the sports environment can provide a ‘perfect storm’ of conditions that facilitate sexual exploitation” (Spoilsports, p. 87). His point about the “disturbing pattern of protecting the predator while punishing the victim” reflects what Freyd (2003) identified as “institutional betrayal”—when organizations prioritize their reputation over victim safety (Dynamic Self-Concept, p. 294).

Where the Article Could Go Deeper

However, while Toney effectively identifies the problem, his article would benefit from exploring solutions more thoroughly. He mentions that “investigations with integrity, accountability, and support for survivors” are needed, but doesn’t elaborate on what these might look like practically.

As someone who has counseled families through these situations, I know that effective responses require both immediate accountability and long-term prevention strategies. Research by Vertommen et al. (2016) found that “sport-specific intervention programmes that address power dynamics, consent education, and bystander intervention showed promising results in changing team cultures” (Child Abuse & Neglect, 51, p. 228).

Toney’s conclusion—”We must confront this monster. Not with silence. Not with excuses. But with courage, justice, and truth”—is powerful, but it would be strengthened by concrete steps for how individuals, institutions, and communities can do this, confronting.

The Article’s Prophetic Voice

What I most appreciate about Toney’s piece is its prophetic quality. Like the Hebrew prophets who called out injustice regardless of who was committing it, Toney refuses to let athletic talent obscure moral failure. His words echo Isaiah 1:17: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.”

The article serves an important function in challenging what sport ethicist Drew Hyland (1990) called the dangerous conflation of “excellence in physical performance” with “excellence in moral behavior” (Philosophy of Sport, p. 156). This is particularly relevant for parents like me who are raising sons in a sports culture.

Responding to Shanudell D. Q. Phillips’ Commentary

Phillips’ Complex Perspective

Phillips’ commentary introduces a much more nuanced—and troubling—perspective that deserves careful analysis. While she begins by agreeing with Toney’s basic premise (“most of what you said is indeed the truth”), she then pivots to what appears to be a cultural relativist argument that I find deeply problematic.

Phillips asks important questions about environmental influences: “Where did he spend his formative years? What is the culture of this environment?” These aren’t unreasonable questions. Research by Finkelhor (1984) acknowledges that “environmental factors may increase risk” for sexual offending behavior (Child Sexual Abuse, p. 53).

However, Phillips’ description of the “riverine community” culture is deeply concerning. Her reference to “activities that occur in the area as it relates to male and female relationships would make a doctor puke,” and her mention of behaviors “so surreal that I wonder if we were on earth” suggests systematic normalization of sexual abuse.

The Dangerous Path of Cultural Excusing

This is where Phillips’ commentary becomes problematic from both a moral and theological perspective. Her suggestion that some residents have “relocated just to protect their families” while others “condone such behavior” and “label it as their culture” represents exactly the kind of cultural relativism that enables ongoing harm.

As a pastor, I must firmly reject any suggestion that cultural context excuses sexual violence. Scripture doesn’t give us this option. When Jesus encountered the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), he showed compassion for her circumstances while still calling the behavior sin. Paul’s words in Galatians 6:1-2 call us to “restore that person gently” while still acknowledging wrongdoing.

Anthropologist Lila Abu-Lughod (2002) warned against using cultural context to excuse harmful practices, noting that “some practices cause genuine harm regardless of their cultural context” (Do Muslim Women Need Saving? p. 784). Pain is pain, regardless of the cultural framework in which it occurs.

Phillips’ Valid Questions About Change

Phillips does raise a legitimate question: “How is he to shed immediately what was part of his upbringing, what is essentially a part of the fabric of his entire psyche, in favor of what is the correct thing?” This reflects an understanding of how deeply environmental influences can shape behavior patterns.

Research by Marshall and Laws (2003) confirms that “changing deeply ingrained behavior patterns requires sustained support, professional intervention, and often years of dedicated work” (Sexual Deviance, p. 267). This is consistent with the biblical understanding of transformation found in 2 Corinthians 7:10, where Paul distinguishes between worldly grief and “godly sorrow [that] brings repentance that leads to salvation.”

However, Phillips’ question seems to suggest that cultural background makes change so difficult as to be nearly impossible. This fatalistic view contradicts both research and scripture. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:11, speaking to people from various problematic backgrounds: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Problem with Phillips’ Conclusion

Phillips concludes by asking for help to “ensure that this behavior is discontinued,” while simultaneously seeming to excuse it based on cultural upbringing. She also refers to the athlete as “an exemplary sportsman” despite acknowledging “skeletons in his burial ground.”

This conclusion reflects the exact problem Toney’s article addresses—the tendency to compartmentalize athletic ability from moral character. As I teach my sons, character isn’t situational. First Timothy 3:2 requires leaders to be “above reproach”—not just in some areas of life, but comprehensively.

Where Both Perspectives Miss the Mark

The Need for Victim-Centered Responses

Both the article and commentary, while raising important issues, don’t sufficiently center the experiences and needs of survivors. Trauma researcher Judith Herman (1992) emphasized “the central importance of survivor voice and choice in any justice process” (Trauma and Recovery, p. 133).

Neither piece adequately addresses what survivors need to heal or how their voices should shape our responses. This is a significant gap that reflects broader problems in how we discuss sexual violence—we often focus more on the perpetrator’s circumstances than on the victim’s needs.

The Missing Prevention Framework

Both pieces also lack a comprehensive prevention framework. While Toney calls for courage and justice, and Phillips asks about helping the individual change, neither provides a clear roadmap for preventing future harm.

Effective prevention requires what Salter (2003) called “the three pillars”: education about healthy relationships starting at a young age, bystander intervention training, and accountability systems that consistently enforce consequences (Predators, p. 178).

A Pastoral and Parental Response

Confronting the “Monster” Systemically

As a pastor and father, I see the “monster” Toney describes as both individual and systemic. Yes, we must hold individual perpetrators accountable. But we also must address the cultural systems that enable and protect them.

This means challenging what researcher David Lisak (2011) identified as environments where “sexual violence is facilitated by social norms that support male dominance and entitlement” (Violence Against Women, 17, p. 715). In sports contexts, this includes the hero worship that makes athletes seem above moral scrutiny.

Creating Environments of Safety

For my sons, I’m committed to helping create sports environments that reflect biblical values. This means teaching them that true strength protects the vulnerable, not exploits them. As Proverbs 31:8-9 instructs: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

The Hope of Transformation

While I reject cultural excuses for harmful behavior, I do believe in the possibility of genuine transformation. The gospel message is that no one is beyond redemption, but redemption requires genuine repentance, not just regret about consequences.

Real accountability means what restorative justice pioneer Howard Zehr (2002) described: “understanding the impact of one’s actions, taking responsibility, and actively working to repair harm while changing behavior patterns” (The Little Book of Restorative Justice, p. 37).

Moving Forward Together

Both Toney’s prophetic call for justice and Phillips’ questions about environmental influences contain important truths, but neither alone provides a complete response. We need approaches that:

1. Center the survivor’s needs and voices in all decisions
2. Hold individuals fully accountable regardless of background
3. Address systemic issues that enable abuse
4. Provide pathways for genuine change when demonstrated through actions
5. Create prevention programmes that start early and address cultural factors
6. Build sports environments that consistently prioritize human dignity

As Micah 6:8 reminds us, the Lord requires us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly.” Justice means protecting victims and holding perpetrators accountable. Mercy means believing in the possibility of redemption while never minimizing the work required. Humility means acknowledging our capacity for moral failure while maintaining clear standards.

The “monster” Toney identifies isn’t just one person—it’s a system that prioritizes athletic success over human dignity. Confronting it requires both individual accountability and systematic change. That’s the work ahead of us, and it’s work we all have a role in doing.

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• Dr Fitzroy Tyrrell, Monster in Maroon, Rawle Toney, Shanudell D. Q. Phillips, West Indies

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