Cheika banned for 'disrespecting doctor'

NEWS: Leicester Tigers coach Michael Cheika has been banned for his behaviour during a Premiership match at the weekend.

Cheika appeared before a disciplinary panel on Tuesday, October 1, for a breach of RFU Rule 5.12 – conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game and/or Union.

It was alleged that Cheika ‘disrespected the Independent Match Day Doctor’, following the Exeter Chiefs versus Leicester Tigers match on Saturday, September 21.

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The panel, chaired by Richard Whittam and sitting with panel members Julian Morris and Oliver Clarke, found Cheika had disrespected the doctor and he was given a two-week suspension, with one week suspended until the end of the 2024/25 season.

“The panel found that Michael Cheika disrespected the doctor in challenging the decision he had made that a player was subject to an IPR [Immediate Permanent Removal],” Whittam said in a statement.

“Although it was an unusual case because there was a lack of clarity about the decisions made about the head injuries, the decisions of the matchday doctor must be respected.

“In this particular case, the appropriate sanction was one of two weeks.

“The panel mitigated this by suspending one week until the end of the season.”