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| 14 February 2002, 9:25 am |
| Johnson Could Miss Tigers V Saints Derby |
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England and Leicester Tigers captain Martin Johnson could miss Saints' visit to Welford Road on Saturday, February 23, if he is issued a ban for an incident involved Saracens' Robbie Russell.
The RFU has confirmed that Robert Horner, disciplinary officer for the RFU, has resolved that a national disciplinary panel will be convened on Thursday, February 21, 2002, at the Bristol Filton Holiday Inn. The hearing will start at 5.00pm.
The panel will consider a charge against Johnson following an incident that took place during a Zurich Premiership match at Vicarage Road on Saturday, February 9, 2002.
If found guilty Johnson, who has expressed regret over the incident, can expect a three-week ban which would see him also miss England's Six Nations game against France.
The panel will be chaired by Richard Smith QC and will in addition comprise the RFU senior vice-president Derek Morgan and Richard Moon, the RFU council member for Cambridge University.
Mr Horner said: "In requiring the hearing, I have exercised the authority vested in me by paragraph **22.3 of the disciplinary procedures. It will be for the panel to determine, after considering all the evidence presented to it, whether the award of a yellow card was sufficient penalty for Martin Johnson's involvement in the incident, or whether he is deserving of greater punishment, which they will be empowered to impose."
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