Wigan reinstated with two competition points after appeal decision

Wigan have been reinstated with two Super League points after their two-point deduction was suspended until March 2020.

The Super League champions breached the 2017 salary cap by £14,000 and were deducted the competition points on the eve of the 2019 season.

But Warriors’ Chairman Ian Lenagan appealed the decision and today a Sport Resolutions panel changed the initial ruling and imposed a suspended two-point deduction.

That means that Wigan will automatically be deducted the points if they commit a further breach of the Finite Salary Cap over the next 12 months.

“Throughout this process we have acknowledged the administrative errors that resulted in this technical breach and I’d like to say again that we apologise unreservedly for the errors and accept a fine of this level is justified,” Warriors’ Chairman Ian Lenagan told Wigan Today.

“At no point during this investigation has Wigan’s integrity been questioned. Our main argument has been that a points-deduction punishment was disproportionate to the marginal nature of the offence committed and we are happy that the independent panel shares this view with today’s decision.”

In addition, the panel has ordered Wigan to pay a fine of £5,000 immediately and confirmed that costs of £2,000 for the original hearing on January 24 must be paid. The panel have also ruled that their appeal deposit should be retained by the RFL.

The RFL and Wigan had already agreed to split the cost of the Sport Resolutions hearing, with today’s decision seeing the Warriors jump up above Leeds into 10th position on the Super League table.

RFL statement: “It is good to have this matter resolved, after this second independent hearing following the initial independent tribunal in January.”

“The RFL will continue to police the salary cap in agreement with the Super League clubs.”