Warrington Wolves Women star set to play again despite suspension for racist WhatsApp messages
York Valkyrie v Warrington Wolves Women Betfred Women s Super League 28/05/2023. Warrington Wolves outside back Samantha Simpson 5 during the Betfred Women s Super League match between York Valkyrie and Warrington Wolves Women at LNER Community Stadium, York, United Kingdom on 28 May 2023. York LNER Community Stadium Yorkshire United Kingdom Editorial use only , Copyright: xMickxAtkinsx PSI-17511-0071
Warrington Wolves women’s player Samantha Simpson was recently stood down by the club, banned for six games by the RFL and let go by Merseyside police after a media report of historic WhatsApp messages came to light back in June.
These were said to be racist and in breach of police conduct regulations which is why she has been let go by Merseyside police.
However, despite all of this, according to the Liverpool Echo, the ex-police officer has now returned to Warrington Wolves following her suspension over the racist messages.
She will undergo inclusion and diversity training and will be available to play from August 20th with the ban backdated.
Simpson, who has made over 50 appearances for Wire’s women’s team, was dismissed from her role as a Merseyside Police officer last month for gross misconduct, with Warrington Wolves standing her down from selection with immediate effect as they made further inquiries with the player.
This led to an RFL investigation, with Simpson relieved of her duties by Merseyside Police following an accelerated misconduct hearing in June which showed she had breached the standards of professional behaviour between July 2019 and January 2022.
Evidence in the police hearing was given in the form of screenshots from WhatsApp messages she exchanged with her ex-boyfriend during the aforementioned period – these showed evidence of racist terms used by Simpson on 13 occasions.
Simpson has now been found guilty of an ‘unaccaeptable language’ charge by an RFL Tribunal and will undergo inclusion and diversity training before being reintegrated into the Wolves Women’s first team squad.
The six-match ban issued will be backdated to when she was first stood down from selection and therefore Simpson will be available to return on 20th August for the game against Leeds Rhinos, the Warrington Wolves official website revealed.
They also added that Simpson has ‘accepted the charge and apologised’, with the club ‘condemning the use of discriminatory language in all forms’.
The absense of Simpson, who is one of Warrington’s key outside backs, has been felt since she was stood down with the Wolves losing their last three matches to Leeds, St Helens and Wigan Warriors.
Warrington sit fifth in Group 1 of the Women’s Super League going into the business end of the season, having won one and drawn one of their six matches to date.