Leinster will still face the Saracens despite the English club receiving a 50,000 euro fine following a Disciplinary Hearing on Friday in London. 25,000 euro of the fine will be suspended till 2021/2022 season.
The fine comes after Saracens played Racing 92 Heineken Champions Cup meeting. They were found to be in breach of the Disciplinary Rules of its 2019/20 Participation Agreement. Tito Lamositele a USA international was who named in the match day squad to play and came onto the field of play as a replacement with 20 minutes to go. In the fixture at Allianz Park with Racing , he may have been ineligible due to an administrative error on behalf of the club.
The disciplinary committee compromising of Roger Morris (Wales), Chair, Pamela Woodman (Scotland) and Jean-Noel Couraud (France) considered submissions from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan, from the Saracens Chairman, Neil Golding, and from the club’s legal representative, Paul Harris QC.
However, the committee acknowledged that Lamositele’s work permit had expired and this was unknown to the club. Despite this the committee upheld the misconduct complaint as the English giants had broken disciplinary rules. Therefore, a 50,000 euro fine was imposed.
Following the meeting Roger Morris said,Following careful consideration of a complaint involving a player who has been contracted to Saracens since 2014, and who remains contracted to the club, the Committee believes that this was an unfortunate sequence of events brought about by an administrative oversight”. “However, Saracens are in breach of the Disciplinary Rules of the Heineken Champions Cup, and that breach constitutes misconduct which can be proportionately dealt with by way of a financial penalty.”
Saracens could appeal the decision if they fill they have been mistreated here. However, I personally can’t see that happening.
