Newcastle forward Asu Kepaoa will sit out the next six matches for using a homophobic slur in a recent clash against St George Illawarra.
The ex-Wests Tiger and Penrith Panther fronted the NSWRL judiciary on Wednesday 24 June, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of Contrary Conduct.
It’s stated the incident occurred during the round 16 showdown at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The 26-year-old was sent from the field before half-time and referred directly to the NSWRL panel.
He’s yet to make his senior debut for the Knights since his move to the Hunter.
“Asu appeared before the NSWRL judiciary where he issued a personal apology, acknowledging the harm caused by his choice of words,” Newcastle said in a statement.
“The club accepts the outcome.
“And, we fully support the process.
“The Newcastle Knights are an inclusive club and pride ourselves on being a welcoming place for all players, staff and supporters.
“Language that causes harm to individuals or communities has no place in our organisation, in the NRL, or in our community.
“We’ll work closely with Asu to ensure he receives appropriate education around the impact of language and the responsibilities that come with representing the Newcastle Knights and the values we stand for.”
Players are referred directly to the judiciary for the most serious offences or when exact appropriate punishment is not immediately clear.
While playing for the Warriors’ NRL side in 2022, Marcelo Montoya received a four-game ban for calling North Queensland winger Kyle Feldt a “fa***t”.
Max Knobel, Koby Evans, Izak Rankine and Lance Collard are among the AFL stars to have been suspended over homophobic slurs in recent seasons.
Kepaoa’s incident comes only weeks after former Sydney Roosters and Parramatta prop Kane Evans became the second male NRL player to come out as gay… and first since the 1990s.
- With AAP
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