The Canterbury Bulldogs have been given a suspended fine of $25,000 from the NRL after a visit from club great Terry Lamb to team training breached the league's COVID-19 biosecurity protocols.
Since being seen shaking hands with numerous Bulldogs stars while watching a training session at Belmore Oval, Lamb has been cleared of coronavirus.
"I would like to apologise to the Bulldogs and the NRL for breaching COVID protocols at training," Lamb said in a written apology statement.
"Although I was not standing in the restricted zone, I shouldn't have contacted players in the bubble, but in my over excitement I overstepped the mark and I apologise for that.
"I immediately went and got a COVID test and have been given a clean bill of health."
Lamb is an ambassador for the club but is not on a list of 50 players and staff who are cleared to attend training and games. Everyone on the list is required to self-isolate at home under strict guidelines as approved by state governments to allow the NRL to resume their competition on May 28.
Under the guidelines there is to be no contact with anyone outside of the "bubble" aside from people in their homes, which have been pre-approved by the NRL. No one from outside the bubble, including media and other club staff, are allowed inside "clean" zones at games and training sessions.
The NRL released a statement on Friday evening addressing the incident on Thursday.
"The Bulldogs club has quickly accepted responsibility for the breach and has committed to improve its processes to ensure the club complies with the protocols in the future," the statement read.
"Acting chief executive Andrew Abdo recognised the Club's acceptance of wrongdoing but said it was a reminder that clubs, players and staff must ensure that the game's protocols are complied with at all times."
https://twitter.com/NRL_Bulldogs/status/1268796031052812288The club was issued with a breach notice proposing a suspended fine of $25,000 for "its failure to comply with the COVID-19 rules". The NRL's punishment for the breach was suspended because the club "accepted responsibility" and apologised, the incident was described as "inadvertant" and the club "has committed to improve its compliance with the protocols".
"On account of those facts and the club's previous adherence to the protocols, the NRL will suspend the application of the fine for the balance of the 2020 season," the statement read.
The Bulldogs were permitted to return to training and it was determined that there was "no contamination risk" to the players.
They next face St George Illawarra at Bankwest Stadium on Monday.
- with AAP
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/canterbury-bulldogs-fined-for-covid19-biosecurity-breach-terry-lamb-visits-training/deafdb6f-df61-45a8-8c3a-7f41b105aee8
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