Case Number:

ON/1275/24

Tariq Sims #11, Catalans

Competition:

Super League

Match:

Catalans Dragons v Hull FC

Match Date:

2024-07-27

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 F

Fine:

£750

Sanctions:

6+

Decision On Charge

Player plea:

Guilty but challenge grading

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

Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 29th July 2024, 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 10 47 footage time of the above match. In the Panel’s opinion you have made unnecessary contact with your opponent who is or may be injured. The Panel believe your actions were serious misconduct and against the spirit of the game.

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

The normal suspension range for such offence is 6 matches plus.

• The Match Review Panel were concerned at the manner in which Mr Sims makes contact with his opponent.

• The player was sent off following the incident.

• The dismissal report stated that “Tariq Sims tackled Ed Chamberlain high. He then lifted him up from the floor whilst he was injured. I then dismissed Sims.”

• The opponent has been contacted high by Mr Sims. The opponent stays down after the incident.

• Mr Sims can see that the opponent is in apparent distress but none the less aggressively grabs a hold of his opponent by the shirt and pulls him forcefully upwards before letting go.

• 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 Sims is in no way attempting to assist the injured player. His actions are in a purely negative manner.
• The incident was not part of play.
• This offence carries a possible Grading from E to F. In this particular case, the MRP felt that the degree of force used, the fact that the opponent was potentially injured and the complete disregard for the opponent’s welfare and the negative and derogatory manner in which Mr Sims acted, is contrary to the true spirit of the game with such actions having no place on the Rugby League field of play.
• Information has been circulated with regards to Head Contacts and players must be aware now of their responsibility in this area.
• Graded F due to;
- Unnecessary contact.
- Aggressive action of pulling an opponent – who has been the victim of misconduct to the head by that same player.
- Duty of care owed to opponent.
- Do not touch players who are potentially injured in anyway.

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

Player in attendance alongside Steve McNamara (Head Coach) and Neil McIlroy (Football Director). Player pleads guilty but challenges the grading.

SM informed the panel that TS had received a 1-match penalty notice for the initial Head Contact at the start of the tackle. The club would like to challenge the grading of this Grade B charge.

They felt the attacker had lost height rapidly and this saw TS drop his height to the extent that his knees were almost on the floor. TS made contact with his “pec” before the attacker “face planted” into the ground. This contact could have caused the need for the HIA and SM believes this incident only merited a sinbin and should have been graded at Grade A.

With regards to this incident SM agreed that TS was wrong to pick up the opponent, is guilty and deserves a suspension. The club are fully supportive of the RFL policy on this but there have been a number of incidents this season where the MRP has charged at Grade E. Whist the club appreciate they cannot use comparison clips, SM confirmed in his conversations with Paul Cullen (MRP Chair) that these other incidents had been referenced. He felt that it was only fair the Tribunal take this into account and should reduce the grade accordingly.

Decision:

Guilty plea

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)

Reasons for Decision:

The Tribunal have considered the submissions which were placed before us by the RFL, together with those on behalf of the player. We've also considered the dismissal report and we've been back through the footage several times.

The incident occurred initially when the player tackled his opponent. This was a tackle which during the course of which it seems to us that the bicep of the player came into contact with the head of the opponent, who fell to the ground where he remained. The player then lifted his opponent from the ground by pulling his shirt. This did not pull him back to his feet, however, the player released his shirt causing the opponent to fall to the ground again.

It is accepted that this is contact with a player who might be injured, and therefore it has the potential for serious consequences to the injured opponent. The grading for this ranges from Grade E to Grade F.

The Tribunal have considered the MRP submissions.

As to the degree of force used and the disregard for his opponents welfare, it is accepted by the player that this was unnecessary contact.

It is accepted that there was a degree of aggression and that there was a breach of the duty of care owed to the opponents on behalf of the player. Mr McNamara has submitted that this incidence should be graded at Grade E, but his reasons are as follows. He concedes that this is not acceptable conduct. It was a big mistake and he has expressed remorse on behalf of the player. But the issue really is why is this Grade F as opposed to Grade E?

We have taken into account, having looked again at the incident, the level of force used and the level of aggression at the incident as opposed to after the incident.

We find that the player was responsible for the lift. It was with some force, but this is not the worst or anything like the worst situation that we have seen in matters of this nature that we consider that the appropriate grading is one of Grade E.

In making our finding, we have taken into account that the player had already take carried out a high tackle upon the opponent. There is, we find very little mitigation in the high tackle. It is correct that the opponent dropped, but this was contact with the head with force, with a bicep that is a Grade B charge.

The opponent at that point appeared to be injured. The player had no idea whether his opponent was injured or not, and therefore was acting recklessly when picking him up. There was no need to have any contact whatsoever with the injured player. It was an aggressive action, but the aggression was limited, with the player dropping opponent to the ground.

Accordingly, we have considered the grading at which, as I've said, it is a Grade E insofar as the appropriate penalty is concerned, Mr McNamara, we're conscious that.

The Tribunal have looked at the totality of the two incidents. For the first incident which involved contact to the head of the opponent the charge remains as the penalty notice and the 1-match remains in place.

For the second part the Tribunal consider the players plea if guilt and therefore reduced the grading to Grade E. The player will receive a four-match suspension for this. He will also be fined £750.

Suspension:

4 matches