Salford Red Devils could be docked a maximum 20 First Utility Super League points if they are found guilty of alleged breaches of salary cap regulations in 2014 and 2015.
The Rugby Football League has charged Salford with exceeding the £1.825 million wage ceiling the last two seasons, in the first such case brought against a Super League club for nine years.
“The RFL has issued charges in relation to alleged breaches of the RFL operational rules and salary cap regulations concerning contractual arrangements made with Salford players in 2014 and 2015,” the governing body said.
“The charges will be considered by an independent off field operational rules tribunal, at a date to be confirmed.”
Marwan Koukash, Salford’s owner, earlier said the club had fully co-operated with RFL investigators since early October and would continue to do so in a bid to clear their name. “I do not know what all this fuss is about. Calm down,” he tweeted.
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The announcement comes six weeks after Marc Green, the Bradford Bulls chairman, raised questions over Salford’s use of the cap over the past two years and, in particular, their signing of Tony Puletua, from St Helens, in 2014.
Green claimed he was prevented from raising his concerns at a RFL Council meeting in December and called on the governing body to fully investigate the transfer of Puletua, in the light of an employment tribunal case brought against Salford by the former New Zealand prop last October.
“At the tribunal it was uncovered and not disputed Puletua had two contracts of employment, the first his Salford Super League contract at an annual £80,000 salary, the second for £48,000 per annum under a contract for Euromatec [an executive training company founded by Koukash] - the combined amount being identical to the amount he previously enjoyed at St Helens,” Green wrote in a letter to the RFL.
“What questions were asked at the time to clarify why a player agreed to a 37.5 per cent reduction in salary? Surely St Helens were asked if they made Puletua a new offer, and whatever terms, if any, were made, the [Super League] Salary Cap Manager would have discovered St Helens had, in fact, offered circa 20 per cent more to retain his services than he was moving to Salford for.
“At the same time a number of other players moved to Salford for considerably lesser salaries than they were being paid at their previous clubs. What, if anything, was done to verify the validity of those deals?”
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There have been eight cases of points deductions for salary cap breaches during the 20 years of the Super League era, however none since 2007 after the introduction of a “live” cap, which is monitored by a salary cap manager appointed by the Super League. In the worst case, Wigan Warriors were docked four points nine years ago after they exceeded the then £1.6 million wage ceiling by £222,314 the previous season during a fight against relegation.
Since Bradford Bulls were ordered to forfeit six points after entering administration in 2012, the RFL has dramatically increased sanctions. It can deduct up to 20 points and prevent a club registering new players.
Points punishments
2001 Wakefield, salary cap breach - 2 points
2003 Halifax, salary cap breach - 2 points
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2003 Hull, salary cap breach - 2 points
2003 St Helens, salary cap breach - 2 points
2006 Bradford, salary cap breach - 2 points
2006 Wigan, salary cap breach - 2 points
2007 Bradford, salary cap breach - 2 points
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2007 Wigan, salary cap breach - 4 points
2011 Wakefield, administration - 4 points
2011 Crusaders, administration - 4 points
2012 Bradford, administration - 6 points
2013 Salford, fielding extra player - 2 points