Rugby Football League (RFL) chief Ralph Rimmer has avoided disciplinary action after using “unacceptable” language in reference to the Fiji national team.
The governing body launched an investigation into comments made by Rimmer at the Championship and League One awards dinner on 26 September.
The RFL found “the language fell within the wide definition of unacceptable language” as per its operational rules.
But it said that the matter would be dealt with “through education”.
Discussing Fiji’s preparations for the World Cup, Rimmer, who is set to leave his role at the end of the year, said: “Fiji have already arrived. We don’t think anybody has been arrested yet, do we? No, we’re all right, so we are going pretty well then.”
In a statement issued two hours before Fiji faced England in a World Cup warm-up game, the RFL said it followed procedures under the Directors’ Code of Conduct and sought views from the Fiji Rugby League and the nation’s travelling party in its investigation.
The governing body said it had considered “the context of a wider discussion of the World Cup” and that the Fiji National Team, the Federation and the Confederation accepted Rimmer’s apology in reaching its verdict.
“Noting the agreement of all consulted that there was no intent in the use of the unacceptable language; that a fulsome apology was issued and accepted; and taking into account relevant and applicable precedent, from other sports and previous RFL compliance investigations, the decision of the chair is that no formal disciplinary action is appropriate,” the RFL said.
“The matter will be dealt with through education, to be conducted during the three months before Ralph Rimmer’s previously announced departure from the RFL at the end of the year.”
