Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers has been fined £47,000 by the league for salary cap breaches during the 2019/20 season.
In an official statement, Premiership Rugby said, ‘These payments relate to salary during the Covid-19 period, which had not been included in the club’s certification for the 2019-20 salary cap year.
‘As announced in March 2022, which was a separate matter, there was an over-spend by Leicester Tigers of £98,586.32.
‘Leicester Tigers has paid the overrun tax in full.’
This marks the latest time the Premiership Rugby champions has been sanctioned for financial breaches, after previously being fined £309,000 in 2022 for violations during the 2016-2021 period.
In response, Leicester Tigers CEO Andrea Pinchen said, “While disappointed to again have historic salary cap spending relating to 2019/20 season result in this overrun tax, as was the case in March 2022, we accept the findings of Premiership Rugby.
“As was the case in March 2022, this in no way relates to any of the most recent four seasons and we are grateful to Premiership Rugby for the cooperative approach in bringing this matter to a close.
“We have accepted and paid the overrun tax and, as stated in March 2022, the current club management – who inherited this issue – have a great respect for the Salary Cap regulations and remain committed to ensuring Leicester Tigers is compliant every season.”
In 2020, league rivals Saracens received more significant sanctions, when the London-based club was dealt a £5.36m fine, and was relegated from the Premiership following a 35-point deduction for salary cap breaches between 2016 and 2019.
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