All Black and Highlanders halfback Smith (27) has been stood down for one game and was yesterday on his way back from South Africa, where the All Blacks are based for their test against the Springboks early on Sunday.
The suspension follows an incident at Christchurch Airport on September 18, after the South Africa test in Christchurch.
Smith was in All Blacks uniform and was with the squad at the airport. He was seen entering a disabled person’s toilet with a woman who was not his partner.
The duo were in the toilet for more than five minutes.
The All Blacks learnt of the incident this week in South Africa, All Black coach Steve Hansen said yesterday.
Smith owns a house in Dunedin but is not expected to return to the city immediately.
He hails from Feilding in the North Island where he still has family.
A misconduct hearing by New Zealand Rugby has been set down for Smith.
The Highlanders, the Super Rugby team he plays for, did not return calls yesterday and viewed him as being on All Black duty.
Smith has a list of prior incidents of a sexual nature and the incident comes after an ugly six weeks for New Zealand Rugby, including the Chiefs stripper scandal.
University of Otago management professor Alan Geare said most sports organisations had written contracts that allowed them to take action if players did something that brought the sport into disrepute. Smith had not carried out a criminal act, although many people saw the incident as morally wrong, Prof Geare said.
"The employer can claim certain behaviour affects the reputation of the employer and people have been dismissed for this sort of behaviour in the wider world."
He compared what would happen if an accountant streaked at a sports event or a member of a scrub-cutting gang did the same thing.
The accountant could be dismissed while the scrub-cutter would likely not.
New Zealand Rugby was in a difficult position.
"They are between a rock and a hard place. If they say they will deal with it, then people will say they are not being open. If they are open with it, then they are invading his privacy."
He said it was hard to tell what New Zealand Rugby would do in terms of punishment.
As well as the Chiefs stripper scandal, New Zealand Rugby has been under the gun when it emerged last week Wellington teenage player Losi Filipo had escaped conviction for a street assault.
"Those incidents have certainly contributed [to what may happen to Smith]. They [NZR] will not be wanting to just sweep it under the carpet," Prof Geare said.
Aaron Smith
Age: 27.
Tests: 54.
New Zealand under-20 2008.
Highlanders debut 2011.
All Black debut 2012.
Tom French Memorial Cup for Maori Rugby player of the year 2014.
Super Rugby winner 2015.
World Cup winner 2015.
Aaron Smith slip-ups
• Banned from a test in 2012 after missing a meeting.
• Embarrassed in 2014 when already in a relationship he set up a liaison with stripper Lisa Lewis. Was promptly dumped by his girlfriend.
• Posted a nude selfie linked to the Lewis incident in 2014 and was withdrawn from meeting royals Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge.
