Oldham outside back Jumah Sambou has been handed a Grade E charge by the RFL’s Match Review Panel following a biting accusation. The allegation comes from Sunday’s Championship clash with Barrow Raiders, a game which saw Sean Long’s side fall to their first league defeat following their promotion from League 1.
Sambou is the man at the centre of the allegations with the former St Helens youngster set to face an independent tribunal before a verdict is reached and a punishment is potentially handed out. Sambou will be given the opportunity to argue his case and fight his corner if needs be.
However, if he is found guilty of biting he could be looking at a lengthy ban. All Grade E charges result in an immediate referral to a operational rules tribunal with bans set at a minimum of six games, with a full disciplinary points penalty decided by the tribunal.
As such, if he is found guilty the winger can expect to expect the next month and a half of action at least, with intriguing Championship games against Bradford Bulls, Featherstone Rovers and London Broncos on the way.
The Oldham man might take notice of an incident involving Featherstone’s Connor Wynne and Goole Vikings’ Jeylan Hodgson earlier this year, though. Both men were handed Grade E charges after a brawl in pre-season, with Wynne sanctioned for punching and Hodgson found guilty of biting. The pair were handed the minimum six game ban by the tribunal with fines to boot as well.
It seems fair to say then that Sambou could be set to receive a similar punishment if he is found to have bitten someone in the clash against the Raiders. While he waits for the tribunal to take place, he has been named in the Oldham squad to take on Hull KR on Friday night at Craven Park and he is expected to be involved in the game as the Roughyeds look to upset the odds and claim a spot in the quarter-finals of the competition.
