Case Number:

ON/1196/22

Sitiveni Moceidreke #1, London Broncos

Competition:

Championship

Match:

London Broncos v Sheffield Eagles

Match Date:

2022-07-03

Incident:

Homophobic Abuse at 00:31:08 SharePoint time

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Detail – Verbal abuse based on race, colour, religion, gender, sexual preference, disability, national or ethnic origin or any other form of Unacceptable Behaviour or Language

Grade F

Sanctions:

8+

Decision On Charge

Player plea:

Not Guilty

Summary of CM's submissions on the Charge / evidence:

Further to correspondence sent via a letter of 7th July 2022 an independent Investigator was despatched further to an On Field Report received in the above match where it is alleged that you called Joel Farrell “a fag”. Further to the report received from the Investigator, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(f) Verbal abuse based on race, colour, religion, gender, sexual preference, disability, national or ethnic origin or any other form of Unacceptable Behaviour or Language during the above match.

In accordance with the RFL’s On Field Sentencing Guidelines, the Panel consider that such offence is a Grade F offence in breach of Law 15.1(f) Verbal abuse based on race, colour, religion, gender, sexual preference, disability, national or ethnic origin or any other form of Unacceptable Behaviour or Language.

The normal suspension range for such offence is 8 plus matches.

Summary of Player's submissions on the Charge / evidence:

Player in attendance alongside Mike Eccles (Interim Head Coach). Player pleads Not Guilty.

Decision:

Not Guilty

Reasons for Decision:

The Tribunal thank both sides for their submissions.

They note that the opponent who made the complaints has not attended the hearing.

The panel therefore feel that they cannot assess the credibility of his evidence and therefore be reasonably satisfied.

They therefore dismiss the charge brought against the player.

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)