Sheffield Sharks respond after SLB exonerate official in race row

Sharks owner and league chairman Vaughn Millette sparked a race row in the sport’s professional tier last month with a series of accusations made over social media about the conduct of a match official.

Sheffield’s Atiba Lyons - the only black head coach in the league - then issued a statement alleging unconscious bias against him.

The referees responded by going on strike, forcing the postponement of games before Millette resigned as league chairman and apologised.

SLB said they were investigating the claims and brought in a crew of Canadian referees to officiate Sharks’ games during the course of that investigation. Those officials are due to cover Sheffield’s game in Bristol on Tuesday night as their final assignment before returning home.

On Monday night, the SLB issued a statement, saying: “Super League Basketball (SLB) has concluded its investigation into allegations regarding officiating conduct and can confirm that there is no evidence to support the claim of racism, corruption or cheating, in relation to Eduard Udyanskyy.

“As part of this process, SLB commissioned independent third-party statistical analysis and held discussions with multiple parties including both Atiba Lyons and Eduard Udyanskyy.

“SLB conducted a comprehensive review of game footage which included assessments from a certified behavioural analyst and multiple technical experts. We can also confirm that our investigation of the data does not indicate any element of bias affecting the integrity of our competitions.

“A key finding of the investigation highlighted deficiencies in the complaints process between clubs and the SLB’s Officiating Supervisor. Issues identified included parties being unaware of the formal complaints process leading to a significant breakdown in communication between the Sheffield club and the officiating department.

“As a result, SLB has undertaken a full review of its officiating department and will invest in a new structure to enhance transparency and communication.

“SLB recognises that every individual involved in the sport has the right to be heard. Atiba has raised valid concerns regarding unconscious bias within the wider sporting environment, and we are committed to addressing and resolving these concerns.”

In response, a Sharks spokesperson told The Yorkshire Post: “What’s important in that statement is we’ll be working together to put better processes in place to deal with the mechanism of complaints.

“Whilst the findings support Mr Udyanskyy and we accept that, we are more focused on moving forward with the right structure in place.

“We look forward to working with the officials to make sure it is an efficient way forward.

“The investigation is ongoing into Atiba’s claim that he is being treated differently, and we await the findings of that.”