Toulon owner threatens Leicester fans with legal action

Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal claims the club could take legal action against the Leicester supporters whose testimony led to Delon Armitage being handed a 12-week suspension.

English full-back Armitage was issued with his punishment on Wednesday evening, after it was alleged he used offensive language towards spectators at Welford Road in Toulon’s European Rugby Champions Cup match against the Tigers on Sunday, December 7.

Armitage pleaded not guilty to the charge, however European Professional Club Rugby announced an independent disciplinary committee was satisfied the 31-year-old had directed abuse at home fans after the game.

Reacting to the sanction, Boudjellal told newspaper La Provence: “It’s incomprehensible. This is an extraordinary decision which rests only on the allegations of two opposition supporters, whose objectivity we can legitimately put in doubt.

“But there is no formal proof, no official document, not even television pictures to attest to the veracity of these testimonies. We aren’t discounting the eventuality of going after these two supporters in court for false testimonies.”

It was Armitage’s second post-match misconduct case in the last four years, meaning an extra four weeks were added to the eight-match ban sanctioned by the committee.

The Toulon player will be suspended until March 8 next year, subject to appeals.