Former Leinster coach Cheika handed suspended ban for abusing cameraman

Michael Cheika has landed himself in hot water again.

Cheika, current coach of the Waratahs in Australia, has been hit with a suspended six month ban from the game and handed a fine of 6,000AUD (€4,024).

The former Leinster coach pleaded guilty to verbally abusing a television cameraman during a game last month in Durban.

The suspended ban means Cheika cannot be found to be in breach of conduct through the heads of Super Rugby (SANZAR) rule books between now and the end of August or the six month ban will be imposed.

The former Heineken Cup winning coach has also been ordered to submit a hand written apology to the cameraman in question.

He was found to have told the cameraman to “f**k off” at least twice in anger during a confrontation on March 29 at the Kings Park stadium.

SANZAR Judicial officer Nigel Hampton said: "On reviewing all of the evidence, I found that on at least two occasions, Mr Cheika told the cameraman to 'f**k off' in a heated way, with accompanied finger pointing and on at least one other occasion.”

“In the same heated way, the coach used the word 'f**king' in talking to the cameraman, either in reference to that person or his equipment, although, on the state of the evidence, I did not find proven that this was a threat, whether to person or to property.”

"In his original account submitted on [April 8], Mr Cheika admitted to 'stern' language on one occasion, but deliberately omitted the specific language he used and I find his claim, in evidence, to have used ‘f**k off’ only once unconvincing."

This is not the first time Mr Cheika has been in trouble as a coach.

He was forced to pay the bill to fix a glass door he smashed in anger at the Canberra Stadium’s coaches box after he witnessed his team lose there only two weeks ago.

While he was coach of French Top 14 side Stade Francais, he was given a larger fine from the ERC for abusing match officials during and after they’re loss to Harlequins in the Amlin Cup final.