Integrity Investigations and Breach Notices
You might have noticed that the NRL no longer publicly publishes proposed sanctions (punishments) for players who are issued a breach notice for off-field issues. This change was agreed to in the latest collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiated by the RLPA and NRL and aims to make sure that players are given procedural fairness when responding to disciplinary allegations.
Procedural fairness is about making sure a player is given a fair go. This is similar to how a person in the courts is allowed to be treated as innocent until proven guilty.
What is a Breach Notice?
A breach notice for is a formal notification issued by the NRL to a player (and their representatives) that alleges they have breached the NRL Rules (a set of rules that partly governs a playing contract, including for off-field matters).
A breach notice usually comes after an initial investigation conducted by the NRL’s Integrity and Compliance Unit. The breach notice (sent privately to the player) outlines the alleged violation (what rule/s the player allegedly breached in the NRL Rules, not to be confused with the on-field rules of the game played on field) and the proposed penalty (the punishment, for example which is usually a suspension and/or fine).
From there, the player is given five business days to respond – they can agree, disagree, or explain their side of the story or challenge the length of suspension and the total fine amount.
Importantly, just because a player is sent a breach notice it does not mean they are guilty. A breach notice is just the start of the process, and it includes allegations based on the information the NRL has at that time.
The NRL does not make a final ruling or decision until it has heard and considered the player’s response.
Why Are Proposed Penalties Not Made Public by the NRL?
Because the punishment in a breach notice is only a proposed penalty, it is not included in the public breach notice sent by the NRL as a media release. If the NRL published the proposed punishment, it is like saying the player is guilty before giving them a chance to tell their side of the story and respond to the allegations.
Keeping the proposed penalty private gives the player a fair and respectful process before the NRL makes a decision. “It is not hiding anything, because the NRL can publish the punishment (which can also change during the process) once they decide the player is guilty.”
If a proposed punishment makes its way to the media, then this is an unauthorised leak by someone who has not been given permission to pass on confidential information.
Read more RLPA Policy Positions and FAQs.
