BULLYING in modern society is grossly unacceptable.

It is now a universal epidemic spiralling out of control as the impact of social media, and the bravery required to hide behind a fake name or a fake picture has heroes all over the world puffing their chest behind words aimed to achieve no more than an increase of their own self-worth.

And you need to read no further than the Facebook comments inevitably left on this very article to understand my point.

But in professional sport, and the senior ranks of amateur sport, bullying is something you sign on for when you scribe your flowing signature on that contract for pay, or registration payment.

Contradiction?

Heck, NO!!

If we can’t distinguish the key differences between the mental disintegration of a sportsperson and a society of heroes, then sport might as well pack up its kit bag and head home for the safety of snuggles with mamma on the PC-wrapped couch.

If you are playing senior level sport and can’t deal with the very real need to be mentally above the torment, then it’s time for you to enjoy your chosen sport on a pure recreational level. It is available to you.

Absolutely, there is need for guidelines to safeguard individuals from being targeted for their place in the world. This is not the mid ’80s, where Ted Bullpit was viewed by the masses as a role model for cultural awareness and respecting diversity.

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ALL sports have a code that the players largely abide by. We can be proud of this and our athletes for their progression as role models in this space.

But the mental disintegration of a sportsperson is a key element to the theatre that fans crave. If we lose it, bemoan it or decide to adjudicate it in line with societies’ view on bullying, then once again — it’s home time for sport.

It’s why I could do no more than lift my hairy caterpillar brow when I read a column from England’s chief antagonist and career bullyboy James Anderson — who himself called out the Australian team as bullies.

“A bully waits until they are in the ascendancy to pounce on people. That is what Australian teams do,” Anderson wrote for the UK Telegraph.

“They are quiet when they are not on top which was the case for the first three days of the Brisbane Test and then on day four they came alive. It is down to us to cope with that and deal with it.”

Hhhhhmmm, what is the old saying about pots and kettles. Because in the modern game, James finds himself on the podium for the types of behaviours he’s just labelled.

Or maybe the English call it something else?

Sooooo, what about these words from Anderson’s autobiography?

“I will upset a batsman in any way that I can … when I am out on the field, I constantly think about whether sledging someone will aid the team cause.”

Obviously, the editor misquoted him. We’ll let that one slide.

George Bailey stands 5’7” and has that cheeky face of freckles that makes him a loveable Australian. Sneezing into a container of Milo will take you to aesthetic stardom in Australia.

How would we best describe this collection of words, as quoted by whitewash wizard George himself?

“And then he (Anderson to Bailey) said … out of everyone on the field, I was the one he’d most like to punch, which I thought was a bit rough; Davey Warner just hadn’t drawn breath the whole time, and I thought, ‘I’ve been quite friendly here’.

“I also realised I had a steel-reinforced helmet on, and 40,000 people in the stands, most of whom were going to back me up. So I’ve never felt more confident in a fight.”

Nah, that’s not bullyboy behaviour, that’s just some playful banter between a couple of old chums, right?

So what about this, aimed at Indian Captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Along the lines of him being a tubby, rhymes with punt.

And then the shoving incident with known sword slayer, Ravindra Jadeja, who claims these words were directed at him from Andersons mouth “what the f*** are you smiling at. I will knock your f***ing teeth out in the dressing room”.

It seems for James, that the “anything” mentioned in his autobiography takes an aggressive trend towards inflicting physical pain, rather than mental pain; as proven by him using the ball as a weapon, when he threw it with the intention of hurting Cameron Bancroft in the second innings.

And then also that time in South Africa, when he did the same against Gary Kirsten.

Truly this could go one forever.

But you know what? All of the above is OK from Anderson, and it’s why I love him so much as a player. HE IS the best swing bowler on the planet — FACT. And he uses words, intimidation and nasty all built from supreme confidence to get an edge; both literal and figurative.

It is important to remember that the majority of fast bowlers have a streak in them. A nasty, viral fever of the need for opposition destruction that can play out at any time.

So maybe it’s best if James dismantles his horse, the one with the very long legs, and stops moaning about the fact that Australia bullied England. How about standing up for himself, and his teammates, by doing more than whining and hiding behind contradictory and hypocritical penmanship in letters to home.

Sadly for James, he has done nothing more than highlight the weaknesses exploited by Australia in the first Test. England are prone to mental instabilities, making James right. What Australia did dish out at the Gabba cannot be denied as bullying, or successful. A 10-wicket win is hard to argue against.