Panel hears Wigan points appeal
WIGAN’S appeal against a two-point deduction for breaching Super League’s salary cap will be heard in Manchester next Tuesday.
A panel appointed by the independent body Sport Resolutions will sit to hear the case. Wigan, who were also fined £5,000 by an independent tribunal appointed by the Rugby Football League, are arguing the punishment is disproportionate for a ‘marginal’ offence.
The breaches, which occurred in 2017, were announced just over 24 hours before the Warriors began the defence of their Super League title five weeks ago.
It means the reigning champions remain on zero points, having won one of their first three matches. The breaches relate to six separate payments, totalling £14,700, which the club claim were due to an administrative error arising from six small invoices of between £2,000 and £3,000 for agents’ fees that were overlooked and meant they exceeded the £1.825million cap by 0.8 per cent.
Wigan point out that for over-spending by the same amount in 2006, St Helens were fined £18,000 with no points deduction.
It will be the second time the Londonbased Sports Resolution has been called on to hear such a case. In 2016 it upheld a decision by an independent RFL tribunal to fine Salford £5,000 and dock them six points for breaching the salary cap in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Meanwhile, former Salford and Swinton head coach Steve McCormack is to leave his job as player welfare manager at Wigan to take up a full-time role with the charity Rugby League Cares. He will become the first transition manager, working alongside players as they approach the end of their careers to help them prepare for life after rugby.