Shaun Leaf banned for 18 months

Doncaster player Shaun Leaf has been suspended for 18 months and fined £500 after a RFL Operational Rules Tribunal found him guilty of a series of breaches of the sport’s Operational Rules.

Leaf was found guilty of the following charges:

– Betting against his own club in two matches.  The first match was against Toulouse on August 22, 2009; and the second match was against Wakefield on May 8, 2011.
– Betting on other Rugby League matches, including Gateshead v Harlequins on May 6, 2011 and Wigan v Barrow on May 8, 2011;
– Engaging in conduct that impaired public confidence in the integrity and/or the honest and orderly conduct of a Match and Competition.

Leaf was found not guilty of:

– Providing privileged information to a third party to assist in betting activity;
– Seeking to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of a match;
– Engaging in conduct that was corrupt or fraudulent.

Leaf’s suspension will commence from the date his provisional suspension began, May 12, 2011. The RFL have stated that they will be making no further comment on this case.