Cal Gaunt
An elite-level Australian rugby player has been banned for eight matches after performing an ‘NSFW’ act on an opponent.
During their match against Warrington Wolves in Super League last week, Toulouse’s 31-year-old former NRL star, Corey Norman, is alleged to have ‘stuck his fingers between Oliver Holmes’ b*ttocks’.
Rugby League’s governing body, the RFL, said of the incident: “The footage of the incident shows a deliberate movement of Corey Norman’s left arm and hand over the top of Oliver Holmes and on to his buttocks.
Watch the unusual incident unfold below…
“At no point does the footage show a grabbing of the shorts to push Oliver Holmes down as described by Corey Norman.”
He has also been fined £500 ($865) for the Grade F charge of ‘other contrary behaviour’.
The RFL added: “Corey Norman gave his account to the panel and submissions were made on his behalf.
“He said this was accidental contact. He was unbalanced and had no control of his left hand and needed to regain position.
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“He needed to grab Oliver Holmes’ shorts in order to control the tackle. He said he is seen laughing at Oliver Holmes on the footage immediately afterwards because of what had happened between them during the match.
“He said that part of his tackle technique would be to grab a player’s shorts to pull them to the ground.
“His instinct was to grab the shorts to bring the player down to where his head was and his touching of the player’s anus was therefore unintentional and accidental.
“He demonstrated a grabbing and pulling motion to us. He said he had just felt the player’s shorts in his hand, not his buttocks.
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“He said that he certainly did not push his hand or finger inside the an*s of Oliver Holmes. He stressed to us, as did his coach, that he has a clean record and has never been put on report before.
“He said that any contact was entirely accidental as he did not know where his hand was as he was looking at the ground.”
Nevertheless, the panel found him guilty and will be unable to partake in Toulouse’s next eight fixtures – which will come as a blow after his impressive start to the Super League campaign.
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