Whitehaven captain Dion Aiye handed lengthy suspension by Rugby Football League

Whitehaven captain Dion Aiye has been suspended for eight matches following a Rugby Football League tribunal after he was charged with misconduct.

Any professional rugby league player is automatically subject to a hearing if they are convicted of a criminal offence. Last week, Aiye was given an 18-month community order with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 240 hours of unpaid work, after pleading guilty to a charge of assault by beating and harassment.

The court also imposed a five-year restraining order banning Aiye from any contact with his victim or her daughter. And the RFL have handed the player a significant playing suspension, banning him for almost a third of the Championship season following his criminal conviction.

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The RFL said that in reaching the decision, the tribunal considered the offence and the sentence handed down by the court, and the restrictions the player had already been subject to for a period preceding his conviction.

However, Aiye will miss Whitehaven’s next eight matches as a result.

He was selected to feature for Haven in their Championship opener against Swinton Lions last weekend, a decision which caused some controversy. However, he will now be unable to feature for the Cumbrian club for the foreseeable future after being suspended.

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