Warrington Wolves Women’s player sacked as police officer and stood down for ‘historic WhatsApp messages’ handed six-match ban at RFL tribunal

Warrington Wolves Women’s player Samantha Simpson, who has been stood down from all rugby activity since a media report of historic WhatsApp messages came to light on June 21 2023, has been handed a six-match ban by the RFL.

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.

On Sunday they host the team bottom of Group 1, Huddersfield Giants, at Victoria Park with the Giants looking for their first league win of the season having lost all five of their group matches so far.