Kings's one-week foul play ban
Highlanders prop Chris King has been slapped on the wrist, a one-week ban, for striking a Lions player at the weekend.
King was cited for striking Lions captain Warren Whiteley with his elbow in the 54th minute of their one-point (23-22) win in Dunedin at the weekend.
SANZAR judicial officer Peter Ingwersen accepted a guilty plea from King, for contravening Law 10.4 (a): Punching or striking.
King has been suspended from all forms of the game for one week, up to and including May 17 – meaning he will miss the Highlanders' trip to Wellington on Friday (May 16), when they take on the Hurricanes in a crunch match.
In his finding Ingwersen ruled the following: "Having viewed the video footage and the citing commissioner's report, I held a teleconference with King and his counsel Aaron Lloyd.
"King accepted a breach for the cited offence.
"King, assisted by his counsel, explained the dynamics of the incident and submitted that he had no intention of striking his opponent, but that the raising of the arm and the contact was an unintentional product of a blocking action.
"It is common cause that no injury resulted and that the opponent continued playing after some brief attention.
"I concurred with Lloyd's submission that the incident had an entry point in the low range which starts at a two-week suspension. No aggravating circumstances prevailed and given the player's exemplary and clean record in a long and distinguished career, along with the fact that he accepted responsibility for his actions and pleaded guilty, I reduced the suspension to one week."
All SANZAR disciplinary matters are in the first instance referred to a judicial officer hearing to provide the option of expediting the judicial process.
For a matter to be dispensed with at this hearing, the person appearing must plead guilty and accept the penalty offered by the judicial officer.
Nature of Offence: Law 10.4 (a) Punching or striking. A player must not strike an opponent with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder or knee(s).
