NRL fines and suspends Blues Origin player Api Koroisau for COVID protocol breach

The NRL has fined NSW State of Origin player Api Koroisau $35,000 and issued a two-match suspension for an alleged breach of the league’s COVID-19 biosecurity protocols.

The alleged breach took place while Koroisau was in camp with the Blues for last month’s State of Origin II.

The league alleges Koroisau “attended the hotel room of an individual who was not part of the team’s biosecurity bubble” on June 27.

“The NRL has taken into account that the alleged breach took place prior to more recent breaches, including before a group of St George Illawarra Dragons players breached NSW Public Health orders and before Queensland Player Jai Arrow breached the game’s biosecurity protocols,” an NRL statement read.

“It also takes into account the alleged breach was shortly after an upgrade in biosecurity protocols.”

The NRL sanctioned 13 St George Illawarra players for breaching the league’s biosecurity guidelines by attending a party hosted by Dragons forward Paul Vaughan earlier this month.

The players, including Vaughan, were fined a combined $305,000 by the NRL.

The Dragons took further action by terminating Vaughan’s contract earlier this week.

Arrow was handed the same punishment as Koroisau for allowing an “unregistered guest” into the Maroons’ team hotel on the Gold Coast ahead of State of Origin III earlier this month.

Koroisau said he had brought “shame and embarrassment to many people”.

“I will be forever sorry,” Koroisau said in a statement.

“I sincerely apologise to the NRL, NSWRL, Panthers, the sponsors and stakeholders, and all my teammates for letting you down.

“I apologise to the fans for putting our game at risk, particularly at such a challenging time for so many people.

“I apologise to my wife Amy for the pain I have caused. I’ve hurt you and the girls with my selfish, thoughtless actions.”

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said the league had increased measures to make sure players comply with biosecurity protocols.

“All club hotels, under quarantine orders, are currently fenced off from the public and patrolled by security 24 hours a day,” he said.

“We are taking every precaution to ensure there is no breach of the protocols and to keep the Queensland community safe.

“The environment has rapidly changed since this breach and players understand the consequences of failing to comply with the protocols.”

Earlier on Friday, Queensland’s Chief Medical Officer Jeannette Young warned she was getting close to revoking the exemptions given to the NRL so the competition could continue in the state.

It follows the Koroisau incident, as well as vision of NRL families quarantining in Queensland hotels passing food to each other on balconies, breaching government protocols that were enacted late on Wednesday night.

The NRL relocated to Queensland as the NSW COVID outbreak took hold, and has been granted exemptions to continue the competition north of the border based on assurances players and staff follow strict protocols agreed to by the government.

“If I have any more breaches, I am very concerned,” Dr Young said.

“It’s for all of them. This is too risky. We just cannot have people deliberately breaching the rules.”

ABC/AAP