Wolves coach Steve Price fined for 'unacceptable' language
Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 2:59 pm
WARRINGTON Wolves head coach Steve Price has been fined for making ‘unacceptable’ language during a post-match interview.
The outgoing Wire boss was criticised after using a discriminatory term for disabled people live on Sky Sports after his team’s 44-18 win against Leigh Centurions in June.
And an independent Rugby Football League tribunal has now found that Price ‘brought the game into disrepute’ with his remark, which related to young second rower Ellis Longstaff’s performance in the fixture.
He has been fined £3,000 – £2,000 of which will be suspended for a year – as a result and will be required to undergo learning disability awareness training.
A spokesman for the RFL said: “Warrington Wolves coach Steve Price has been fined £3,000 – £2,000 suspended for 12 months – and will undertake a learning disability awareness in sport training session after being adjudged to have breached the game’s operational rules.
“An independent tribunal found Price to have used unacceptable language during an interview with Sky Sports following his team’s match against Leigh Centurions on June 24, contravening the game’s respect policy and bringing the game into disrepute.
“Whilst accepting that there was no malicious intent on Price’s behalf, the tribunal found the term to be offensive, discriminatory and hurtful and that it should have no place in the sport or society.”
The club described the comments as being ‘wholly unacceptable’ following the game, with Price having ‘expressed extreme regret’ over the incident.
A Wolves spokesman said at the time: “The club acknowledges the hurtful and derogatory language used by head coach Steve Price during tonight's post-match Sky Sports interview.
“The term is wholly unacceptable, and its usage has no place in the sport or society.
“Steve has since apologised, expressing his extreme regret and disappointment and corrected his remarks in his post-match press conference.”
Learning disability charity Mencap also condemned the 43-year-old’s comments.
Campaigns assistant Vijay Patel said: “Words like this are unacceptable.
“As a sports fan it is upsetting, and I cannot believe we are in 2021 and things like this are still being said.
“Some people might think it’s just words, but name-calling can encourage bullying and discrimination towards people with a learning disability like me.
“People need to think before they speak.
“We also need better understanding of learning disabilities, then people would understand how language like this can affect someone with a learning disability and hurt their feelings – we are people too.”
https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sp ... -language/
The outgoing Wire boss was criticised after using a discriminatory term for disabled people live on Sky Sports after his team’s 44-18 win against Leigh Centurions in June.
And an independent Rugby Football League tribunal has now found that Price ‘brought the game into disrepute’ with his remark, which related to young second rower Ellis Longstaff’s performance in the fixture.
He has been fined £3,000 – £2,000 of which will be suspended for a year – as a result and will be required to undergo learning disability awareness training.
A spokesman for the RFL said: “Warrington Wolves coach Steve Price has been fined £3,000 – £2,000 suspended for 12 months – and will undertake a learning disability awareness in sport training session after being adjudged to have breached the game’s operational rules.
“An independent tribunal found Price to have used unacceptable language during an interview with Sky Sports following his team’s match against Leigh Centurions on June 24, contravening the game’s respect policy and bringing the game into disrepute.
“Whilst accepting that there was no malicious intent on Price’s behalf, the tribunal found the term to be offensive, discriminatory and hurtful and that it should have no place in the sport or society.”
The club described the comments as being ‘wholly unacceptable’ following the game, with Price having ‘expressed extreme regret’ over the incident.
A Wolves spokesman said at the time: “The club acknowledges the hurtful and derogatory language used by head coach Steve Price during tonight's post-match Sky Sports interview.
“The term is wholly unacceptable, and its usage has no place in the sport or society.
“Steve has since apologised, expressing his extreme regret and disappointment and corrected his remarks in his post-match press conference.”
Learning disability charity Mencap also condemned the 43-year-old’s comments.
Campaigns assistant Vijay Patel said: “Words like this are unacceptable.
“As a sports fan it is upsetting, and I cannot believe we are in 2021 and things like this are still being said.
“Some people might think it’s just words, but name-calling can encourage bullying and discrimination towards people with a learning disability like me.
“People need to think before they speak.
“We also need better understanding of learning disabilities, then people would understand how language like this can affect someone with a learning disability and hurt their feelings – we are people too.”
https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sp ... -language/