Leeds Rhinos have been fined £20,000, with £10,000 suspended for a breach of salary cap regulations.
An audit of the club’s salary cap in 2018 found the club had failed to declare payments to three players totalling £55,000, with the club found to have exceeded the salary cap at four separate points during the season by sums ranging from £10,500 to £25,500.
The Rhinos have accepted liability and will face punishment for the breach, but they will not receive a points deduction despite Wigan being handed a two-point penalty for a similar breach just nine months ago.
Super League clubs discussed Salary Cap sanctions earlier this year and agreed point deductions should only be inflicted if the breach is greater than five per cent or where the breach is deliberate.
That means Leeds would have had to exceed the cap by more than £95,000 to face a points deduction, however, their excess is smaller than that amount.
In addition, Wigan, who successfully appealed against their points deduction, had their punishment enforced by an independent tribunal, Sports Resolution, rather than the RFL itself.
It is the first time in Leeds’ history that they have been found guilty of breaching salary cap regulations.
