MARK ASTON’S appeal against an 18-month ban for breaching medical rules has been dropped the day before the case was scheduled to be heard.
The former Sheffield Eagles coach was suspended from coaching last October after an operational rules tribunal deemed he had broken rules around returning to play after a head injury.
Aston took the case to the independent Sports Resolutions arbitrator, but withdrew his appeal on Monday.
The RFL, who were defending the ban imposed, claimed a victory for their protocols and said they were “disappointed by Mr Aston’s conduct throughout the process”.
Aston released a statement to the media saying that he had withdrawn his appeal due to the legal costs involved.
His ban stands and he will not be allowed to hold any senior role in rugby league influencing team selection until April 30, 2026.
Aston’s breach concerned Matty Marsh’s appearance for Sheffield in a Challenge Cup match against Wigan Warriors in March 2024.
Marsh, who had suffered a head injury in a match two weeks earlier, had not received the necessary medical clearance under the RFL’s graduated return to play (GRTP) protocols, having not been signed off by the club’s doctor.
The tribunal found that both Aston and Sheffield’s then physio, Mick Heys, were aware of this.
Heys was banned from holding a medical position in rugby league for 18 months, six of which were suspended because he admitted his conduct at the start of the investigation. His ban will end on October 31.
The RFL said the withdrawn appeal “follows an unsuccessful attempt by Mr Aston’s legal representatives to introduce fresh evidence in December 2024” and that “the RFL was ready to comply with the direction for skeleton arguments, but Mr Aston was not”.
However Aston hit back by saying: “Throughout this process, the RFL has aggressively fought to undermine my case, including getting a crucial witness affidavit thrown out ahead of this appeal being heard. This affidavit undermined their entire case against my conviction.”
He also added: “Sports Resolutions found in my favour that we acted in a proper manner to resolve this and that we were actively involved in discussions with the RFL, despite their claim that we weren’t.
“In the RFL’s statement, they said they were disappointed in my conduct throughout this process, but I would certainly say the same about them and I’m glad Sports Resolutions recognised that I conducted myself in the appropriate manner.”
He said that he had ended the legal fight because “the costs involved had become a major financial burden, after spending around two years of my salary in legal costs.
“With all the factors involved, I was left with no other choice but to protect my family home and our future, something that was becoming increasingly difficult to do as costs continued to rise. I have had to put my house up for sale to cover the costs of this process.”
Aston also questioned the RFL’s pursuit of the case, saying: “Their determination to pursue this matter with such vigour against an individual coach, at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds, raises serious questions about proportionality and a total disregard for the perilous state of the sport’s financial situation.”
However, the RFL said it was necessary to commit significant resource to the case “because of the importance of the operational rules regarding head contact and the graduated return to play protocols.”
Aston is currently working with Sheffield in a commercial capacity. A plan to become the club’s director of rugby when his suspension ends was shelved last month.
The Eagles said in a statement: “The club has not been party to the appeal process and will now engage with all parties involved in the appeal to understand the ruling and the position further.
”The club will make a further statement in due course when it is in a position to make comment.”