RFU statement: Tigers boss Michael Cheika banned after 'unusual case'

Leicester Tigers head coach Michael Cheika has received a two-week ban, with one suspended, for disrespecting the independent matchday doctor in his side’s Gallagher Premiership round one victory over Exeter Chiefs.

The former Australia boss appeared before an independent disciplinary panel on Tuesday charged with an alleged breach of RFU Rule 5.12 – conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game and/or union.

The charge relates to an incident after a match which saw the immediate player removal of flanker Ollie Chessum late on due to a clash of heads with team-mate Solomone Kata. Kata was red-carded soon after for a dangerous tackle on Chiefs hooker Jack Yeandle, which resulted in a four-match ban for the Tonga international.

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The RFU have confirmed that the full judgement will be made available in due course.

Independent disciplinary panel chair Richard Whittam KC described it as an “unusual case” due to a “lack of clarity” concerning decisions around the head injuries. As a result, one week of Cheika’s two-week ban was suspended until the end of the season, though they stressed decisions made by doctors “must be respected”.

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Leicester take on Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on Saturday, and they will now be without their head coach.

“The panel found that Michael Cheika disrespected the Independent Match Day Doctor in challenging the decision he had made that a player was subject to an IPR (Immediate Permanent Removal),” Whittam said.

“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 Independent Match Day 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.”