Even if you know nothing about bowls, chances are you'll know the name Gary Lawson.

I'm in the "knows-nothing-about-bowls" camp, but I know Lawson's name just from hearing it mentioned so often over the years in the sports news.

And from that, I know that he's pretty handy on the bowling green. He's a former world champion and he's been New Zealand champion 14 times.

But I also know, from what I've seen and read, that he's a bit of a loudmouth too. He's probably wishing today that he'd learnt over the years to pull his head in a bit, because he's just been slapped with a 16-week ban which means he's out of this year's Commonwealth Games.

Probably one of our best bowlers ever, and he can't be selected for the Games because he's banned from competing for 16-weeks. And the reason for the ban is homophobic abuse towards another player at a competition in May last year.

As well as that particular incident, Lawson has said things and behaved in ways over the years that were pretty awful and the impression I get is that he's not a very nice person to be around.

It seems he's only got away with it - up and until now anyway - because Bowls New Zealand and Bowls Canterbury have reportedly turned a blind eye to his behaviour. I think the bowls organisations have denied that, but make of it what you will.

Nevertheless, that all appears to have changed and yesterday Gary Lawson was told that he's out for 16 weeks which means he's out of the Commonwealth Games.

Now whatever we might think of Gary Lawson as a person, the question in my mind is this: Is he being treated fairly?

And the reason I ask that, is because last week we heard about Auckland Blues rugby player Dalton Papalii being caught driving at excessive speeds well over 100 kilometres per hour and not being charged because of some sort of technicality.

But a few days after that was in the news, Papalii was selected for the All Blacks squad for the test series against Ireland next month.

Bad behaviour, no legal consequences, but can still play.

Gary Lawson. Bad behaviour, no legal consequences. But, unlike Dalton Papalii, Gary Lawson can't play. Where's the justice in that?

And think back to the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.

That year, we had a member of the New Zealand team who was a convicted criminal. Boxer Soulan Pownceby was selected to represent New Zealand, despite the fact that in 1995 he was convicted for the manslaughter of his five-month-old daughter and spent four years in prison.

So, a criminal conviction, very clearly legal consequences, but he was still selected to compete at the Olympics.

This is why I'm asking whether the penalty imposed on bowler Gary Lawson, which effectively rules him out of competing at this year's Commonwealth Games, is fair when you compare his case to the others.

Yes, anyone who says the kinds of things Gary Lawson has been saying - and who behaves the way Gary Lawson has been behaving for many years - of course they shouldn't be held up as shining examples of the human spirit.

And when I saw that he'd got this 16-week ban I thought he'd got his come-uppance, because if there's one thing I can't stand it's loudmouths who think they can say and do whatever they want. Even if they're brilliant at something - like Gary Lawson is at bowls - it's not a licence to run roughshod over everyone else.

But, despite all that, I think Gary Lawson has been hard done by.