LEEDS RHINOS could face punishment for cancelling their Super League game at Catalans Dragons over fears the club had been hit by the coronavirus.
The Rhinos decided to pull out of Saturday’s match shortly before they were due to fly to Barcelona on Friday.
One of their players displayed symptoms of the deadly virus, but subsequent tests on the unnamed individual proved negative.
Rugby Football League chief executive Ralph Rimmer said it might not be a good enough reason to postpone, telling BBC Radio Five Live: “It (a sanction) is a possibility.
“We spoke with Leeds at some length this week on that particular issue. We’ve applied all the guidelines that the government asked us to observe, and Leeds took a unilateral decision not to travel to that fixture. That will follow due process now.”
Leeds were due to travel on a scheduled Jet2 flight and return on Sunday.
On Saturday, the company’s planes bound for Spain turned around mid-flight after new restrictions imposed by the Spanish government.
Rugby league is one of the few sports which is continuing despite the coronavirus outbreak, although a meeting between club officials on Monday may postpone future games.
