Case Number:

ON/973/23

Jordan Paga #18, Oldham

Competition:

League One

Match:

Oldham v Doncaster

Match Date:

2023-06-18

Incident:

Lifting injured player

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Law 15.1 (i)

Makes unnecessary contact with a Player who is or may be injured.

Grade E

Fine:

£75

Sanctions:

4-6

Decision On Charge

Player plea:

Guilty

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

Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 22nd June 2023, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(i) during the above match.

The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred at 17 02 footage time of the above match. In the Panel’s opinion you have made unnecessary contact with an opponent who may be injured. The Panel believe your actions were unnecessary, had the potential for injury and are against the true spirit of the game.

In accordance with the RFL’s On Field Sentencing Guidelines, the Panel consider that such offence is a Grade E offence – Makes unnecessary contact with a Player who is or may be injured.

The normal suspension range for such offence is 4 to 6 matches.

• The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred in the above match.

• The RFL stance on such situations is clear and a well-established precedent was set in 2021 and upheld by the ORT on various occasions. Hakim Miloudi of Barrow Raiders and Tendai Gwaze of Halifax Panthers received 8 match suspensions having been charged with Grade F charges for moving an injured player. 2023 saw a specific charge brought in to further eradicate this unnecessary and dangerous action from the game.
• It is not for any player in any circumstances to have physical contact with a player who may be injured. Injured players need treatment from appropriately trained medical staff to ensure that any injury is appropriately managed in the initial stages and is not made worse.
• Whether a player is in fact injured, and if so to what extent, is exclusively a matter for the assessment of the medical staff in conjunction with any necessary match official input. Contact, of whatever type/force, from another player upon a seemingly injured player has the potential for serious medical consequences for that injured player.
• In very limited circumstances a player may render immediate physical assistance to another player who is obviously seriously injured. This is not the case here. Mr Paga is in no way attempting to assist the injured player. His actions are in a purely negative manner and for his own personal gain.
• The incident was not part of play. There was no need to touch the opponent in any manner whatsoever and the action had the potential to cause further serious injury. The player was had gone to ground after an incident of foul play from Mr Paga’s teammate.
• This offence carries a possible Grading from E to F. The MRP had no option but to put this at a Grade E. In this case the MRP felt that the nature of the pull/lift, the fact that the opponent was already injured or possibly injured with the potential for further injury, the complete disregard for the opponent’s welfare and the negative and derogatory way Mr Paga acted was contrary to the true spirit of the game, with such actions having no place on the Rugby League field of play.

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

Player in attendance alongside Mike Ford (Managing Director). Player pleads guilty.

MF explained that JP knows he should not have moved the opponent and was not contesting his guilt.

JP addressed the Tribunal. He explained the incident happened in the heat of the moment and that he knows that players should not move opponents who may potentially be injured. He walked away from the situation when the opponent regained his feet and lashed out at him and he apologised for his actions after the match.

Decision:

Guilty plea

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)

Reasons for Decision:

The Tribunal thank both sides for their submissions.

It is clear to the Tribunal that there had been some contact with the head of the opponent during following the initial contact. It has been made clear to all clubs that under no circumstances should any player seek to interfere with an opponent who has gone to the floor and may be injured. It is clearly not for a player to make any decision as to the level of an opponent’s injury and he should not intervene.

When considering the level of suspension, the Tribunal feel there was no real force applied to the opponent and so they view this incident at the bottom end of the scale for this type of offence which can often involve forceful contact with the opponent.

Given the players clean disciplinary record, his plea of guilty and his apology to his opponent the Tribunal consider the appropriate sanction to be 4-matches. There will also be a £75 fine

Suspension:

4 matches