Batley Bulldogs players suspended for gambling breaches

Johnny Campbell has been suspended for 12 months for placing bets on a number of matches, including the 2013 Kingstone Press Championship Grand Final against the Sheffield Eagles, in which he played.

Campbell placed a bet for the first points of the Grand Final to come from a Batley penalty goal and placed a handicap bet on the fixture.

Team-mate Ayden Faal, who did not play in that match, has been suspended for six months after placing a bet for the first points of the game to come from a Batley penalty goal.

Both players were investigated after the activity came to light through intelligence supplied by the Sports Betting Intelligence Unit of the Gambling Commission.

The Tribunal accepted that there was no suggestion of match fixing in the breaches of Operational Rules by Campbell and Faal.

Bulldogs general manager Paul Harrison said: “We will be having a meeting over the weekend.

“The most important thing is the welfare of the players and to make sure they get the correct help.”