£2,666 per second of chanting - how can anyone say that isn't disproportionate?

That makes interesting reading and it would be great to hear the RFLs version of events. I imagine it would be something along the lines of, "Well Gareth is currently writing a book i think, and so needs as much publicity as he can get. As such, he's been banging on about a bunch of knuckle dragging northerners from a homophobic town called Castleford. We haven't the foggiest clue what happened to be honest, but since there was a lot of bad mouthing of our sport in the press we thought we'd randomly apply a fine of £40k to make it look like we're really serious about sorting all this out and that we're in touch with our feminine side".

So? Are you suggesting a sitting Judge would endanger his reputation and livelihood by not dealing with this matter in an unbiased manner instead joining in in some RFL conspiracy against Cas?

=#8000FFWhere did I say that? I was merely commenting on the fact it isn't a judiciary.

It should be overturned for the simple fact it wasn't raised initially, and further more Cas should take legal action against Thomas himself for the way he is trying portray the club.

Thomas has not said anything other than what happened, he has just said it a lot. Cas has nothing to sue him for.

This rather indicates you consider the decision was already made before the Judge heard the case.

=#8000FFBut was there REALLY any need for him to say the teams name everywhere he possibly could and make it out like millions of people were ganging up on him as opposed to the facts which were 15 chavs were chanting something that wasn't audible to 99% of the people in attendance, including most importantly, the Match Commissioner, Thomas wouldn't have heard the chants at the game I'll tell you that now.

Personally I don't believe so, but my point is legally Cas have nothing to sue for. I was stood about the same distance from the chabters as GT, and I heard it. He was at the other end of the pitch when they were singing about holding hands, he was very near when they were singing about his sexual practices. I can assure you he did hear it. If he hadn't how would he know to complain?

from what it says in the cas statement i would say you are bang on with that comment, i thought it was standard practice for the match commisioner to attend any hearing that was relevant to a game he had attended, but seeing as his view did not suit the RLs view he was not required to attend the hearing and it also seems that reading between the lines the RFL atempted to hold the hearing at a time when he would be unable to attend, as i have said earlier in my opinion the matter has been blown out of all proportion, i heard the chanting myself but for anyone who was not at the game and did not hear it you would not think we were talking about the same incident, especially with a 40K fine and the clubs name being dragged through the mud.

Err no. I was simply commenting on the fact that people are suggesting that the decision was made by the RFL (Lewis, Wood, board of directors, general bogeyman) and that a tribunal chaired by a Judge with two other individuals on it free of any club ties just go along with it without bothering with any evidence. It is nonsensical for anyone to think that a Judge would put himself in the position of just being a mouthpiece for others. Instead it is quite common practice in many sports to have quasi-judicial tribunals with members of the judiciary involved so that clubs/sportspeople are given a fair hearing.

As to how the matter arrived at the tribunal it is quite easy to find the operational rules on the RFL website.

As to Cas' statement on the appeal, good luck to them if they think they have a case (albeit my reading of their statement is that they loused up their defence)

how did they louse up there defence as you put it, it seems to me that reading the statment from the club the RFL have gone out of their way to take away any defence the club may of had. but hey as long as it all looks good for the RFL in media that they have taken a very stong stance against the totally homophic club that is the Castleford Tigers then its ok i suppose.

It's simply the impression I got. A club statement is not fact. It is their view on proceedings and having defended the matter they are hardly likely to say they wrong to do so. If they have a case for appeal, good luck to them, but it does seem part of it is on technical grounds as to who brought the complaint. If the operational rules allow for a complaint to be brought by the RFL itself rather than the match commissioner I can't see what the point of stating that is. It won't get them anywhere, but just muddies the waters.

Depends how vigorously they pursue it but Court time is expensive. Ask Bradford!

Have the crusaders played at Hull KR yet ?

Can't believe J.Ross has implied a homophobic slur on his house band....

Yes.

Yes you fool they have and they will be able to assure you the only gay bashing heard was at the jungle

=#8000FFQuick google search will find you reports saying the chanting was even WORSE at Caravan Park so there you go

and some Leeds fans were saying it was just as bad at Headingly.

Well I was there and I know there was absolutely no homophobic chanting at Mr Thomas, you really need to stop trying to sweep this under the carpet and absolve the club of all blame and you certainly need to stop trying to blame others.

The club have been punished for their faillings in dealing with the incident and their apparent lack of action taken during and after the incident.

I'd suggest you are a liar! Not least because GT didn't play at Headingley. Nice try but a fail nonetheless!

Ooooops

Just because you did'nt hear anything mrphib doesn't mean it didnt happen.
Not saying anything did happen at CP like.
The only people who heard the 15/20 cas fans were the fans stood around them 15/20 chanting.

The commissionaire in the stand heard nothing.....the fans in the princess street stand heard nothing.....the fans at the railway end heard nothing. Even some in the WRE heard nothing.

Makes you wonder dont it how the hell ''cry baby'' managed to hear it when he was down the other end of the field playing in an intensive game when all consentration would normally be on the game and not on the chanting. Imo.

Nice undermining of the club's case there.

Just for clarity: the crime is not the fault of the victim, but of those who committed the crime.

How on earth can you do something about something you dont even know is happening.