Hazem El Masri would never have envisioned going to court for this.

The Bulldogs legend was charged with assaulting his second wife Douah El-Cherif in October, but police dropped those charges this week.

The 39-year-old’s responsibilities as an NRL ambassador diminished significantly after the charges were laid, and he was stood down as a White Ribbon ambassador — White Ribbon being the campaign dedicated to stopping violence against women.

In a letter provided to Fairfax Media, Arwa Abousamra — who was married to El Masri for 13 years — launched a scathing attack on rugby league’s governing body, blasting the NRL for failing to show the same loyalty to El Masri that he showed to the sport during his near 15-year playing career.

“This is to clear the air about loyalty. The knee-jerk reaction last year by departed NRL CEO David Smith was nothing short of shameful, but personally I wasn’t shocked. You see, I have witnessed this sort of thing my whole life,” Abousamra wrote.

“It took him less than a second to brand Hazem El Masri guilty without a giving him the benefit of the doubt and standing him down from any appearances, effective immediately.

“The NRL isn’t renowned for its loyalty to its players, it’s more loyal to the bottom line, and it will sell you the family image without flinching.”

El Masri’s goal-kicking was his biggest strength.Source:News Limited

As part of the repercussions El Masri faced for being charged, he was not allowed to travel to schools to conduct clinics or make other community visits.

It shocked the entire rugby league community when news of the assault allegations broke late last year. El Masri was a cleanskin and considered a gentleman of the game.

He is a devout Muslim, an articulate speaker and still sits atop the list of the NRL’s leading point-scorers, having retired at the end of the 2009 season.

He played one Test for the Kangaroos and one game for NSW, as well as representing the City side five times in his career.

For a man who has given so much to the game of rugby league, Abousamra couldn’t believe how quick the NRL was to abandon him when he most needed support.

“Instead of waiting for the law to decide, the NRL’s actions branded Hazem guilty in the court of public opinion. If you can’t rely on the people who have worked with you and know you for over 20 years then who can you rely on?”

Fairfax Media reported that an NRL spokesperson said El Masri’s 2015 ambassadorial contract was paid in full, while he is apparently still keen to continue in the role now that all charges have been dropped.