New Leicester City Head Coach Michael Cheika Faces Potential Ban for Disrespecting Doctor After Debut Game
In a surprising turn of events, newly appointed Leicester Tigers boss Michael Cheika is in hot water after being accused of disrespecting a matchday doctor following his first game in charge of the club. Cheika, who took over at Welford Road on a one-year contract this summer, replaced former coach Dan McKellar in what was considered a significant move for the team.
The incident occurred after Cheika led his team to a narrow victory against Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park during the opening weekend of the Premiership season. The Australian coach allegedly confronted the matchday doctor, leading to a charge under RFU Rule 5.12, which deals with conduct deemed detrimental to the game’s interests.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) released a statement, stating that Cheika “is alleged to have disrespected the Independent Match Day Doctor following the Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers match.” However, the specifics of the alleged incident were not disclosed by the RFU.
During the game, Leicester Tigers’ centre Solomone Kata was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle, resulting in a four-match suspension for the Tongan player. Subsequent investigations revealed that the independent matchday doctor failed to identify obvious signs of concussion that should have led to Kata’s removal from the pitch before the incident occurred.
As a result of the altercation and the subsequent disciplinary proceedings, Cheika now faces a potential ban. Meanwhile, Leicester Tigers suffered a setback in their second fixture of the campaign, losing 20-15 to Bath at Welford Road this past weekend.
Michael Cheika’s tenure at Leicester City has certainly started with a bang, albeit not in the way he would have hoped. The club and the RFU will now await the outcome of the disciplinary process to determine the repercussions for Cheika and the team moving forward.