Mick Heys has been unsuccessful in his appeal against the findings of an Off-Field Operational Rules Tribunal decision from October 2024.
Chairman of the ORT Appeal Panel HHJ Roger Thomas KC said in his judgment:
“As one reads this fairly lengthy judgement, there's nothing the tribunal did not take into account and in clear terms, they found that this was more than just some sort of technical error that could be passed over and what they found is really unimpeachable. It was for them to decide what the facts were as they found them to be. They found them as they described them, and the sanction is in fact a not unreasonable one.”
He therefore remains suspended for 18 months, from holding a medical position in Rugby League – but six months of his sentence had been suspended for 12 months, in recognition that he “admitted his conduct at the outset” and “apologised and expressed significant remorse” - meaning his suspension runs until October 31, 2025.
