Ben Flower Banned For 6 Months

ChillDoubt | 17:07 Tue 14th Oct 2014 | Sport

13 Answers

For THAT punch. Awaiting a link, just flashed up on Sky News Alert app.
Seems fair enough to me.

Something Is Amiss Here

Tennis

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ChillDoubt

Question Author

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/29612687

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jno

can't argue with that. Too hyped up and too much red mist, I think.

jno

"started it" is a bit misleading: as I saw it Hohaia hit Flower with his arm, and Flower responded. But then - with Hohaia on the ground, maybe not even conscious, I couldn't tell - Flower chose to hit him again. It was really the second blow he was punished for.

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ChillDoubt

Question Author

One match seems perfectly fair methyl. Flower got his retaliation in, fair enough, but after that was a criminal offence in any other sphere.

Cloverjo

It was disgusting behaviour. A life ban wouldn't be too harsh, I think.

ChillDoubt

Question Author

Even as a rugby union referee I'd have to argue against a life ban Cloverjo. Thankfully there doesn't appear to have been any lasting damage so the length of ban is fair IMHO,
provided he also vists schools/clubs etc and speaks to young players as he appears to be very remorseful.
That way, some good comes out of a nasty incident.

campbellking

If you tried to ban him for life you would probably hit a legal minefield, as you would be restricting him from enjoying freedom to pursue a sporting activity with a sanction that would exceed anything given in the courts (which was the argument presented to us in a different sporting context when a player broke a referee's jaw)

paulllambert

He's lucky he isn't looking at a custodial sentence IMO

Peter Pedant

// He's lucky he isn't looking at a custodial sentence IMho //

well the queens writ runs on a sports field
so you can go down to your local ( nick ) and complain

anyone can complain about a criminal act.

any cosmetic surgery - yeah OK he is a rugby player - is privately/civilly chargeable

from the telegraph that organ of truth....
" Not that Flower will necessarily be out of the woods by then. There is still a possibility that he will end up in the proper, grown-up dock, with Greater Manchester Police in discussions with St Helens and the RFL over whether to refer the incident to the Crown Prosecution Service "