An Australian rugby league player has been banned for the remainder of the season after betting on multiple National Rugby League (NRL) games, including matches he was involved in.
David 'The Wolfman' Williams placed bets ranging from $5-$60, including a wager on himself to finish as the top try scorer in last season's NRL. He finished joint-first.
Allegations of match-fixing have been ruled out because of the small bet sizes and the fact that Williams never bet against his own team.
Five other players also received two-match bans for betting, while three game day officials were sacked following an audit by the league's Integrity Unit.
NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle said: "We are going to up the ante in education and awareness to make sure they [players and coaches] know you’re not allowed to bet on rugby league.
"We are adopting a zero-tolerance policy from this point on. If you are caught betting on rugby league matches in the future, you’ll spend a long time on the sidelines or you’ll be sacked, no matter how small the bet. Today marks an important step for the NRL.”
