West Coast Fever have finally revealed details of their serious Super Netball salary cap breaches, admitting fleet cars, jobs, and accommodation were all part of the ruse.
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The Fever were fined $300,000 and stripped of 12 competition points for the 2021 Super Netball campaign after being found guilty of committing serious and deliberate salary cap breaches during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Half of the $300,000 fine was suspended.
West Coast made payments of $127,954 above the cap in 2018 (19.7 per cent over the limit) and $168,659 over the salary ceiling in 2019 (25.3 per cent).
The penalties were handed down in mid-December, with the Fever steadfastly refusing to name who was responsible, or what the salary cap breaches involved.
The Fever are still refusing to name the people behind the breaches but in an open letter to fans they finally came clean on what the rort involved.
"Examples of these offers included the use of our fleet cars, support with securing employment either within or outside the club, and support in covering accommodation and travel," the letter said.
"These offers of additional support were made to add value to the formal contracts offered to our athletes. They were deliberately designed to circumvent the League's total salary cap.
"By intentionally failing to report this additional value, the club breached the salary cap."
Last year, Fever president Deane Pieters and managing director Simon Taylor stepped down.
AAP is not suggesting they were involved in the salary cap breaches.
Board member Suzanne Ardagh has been named as Fever's new chairwoman.
During its investigation, Super Netball found Fever players and coach Stacey Marinkovich had no knowledge of the rorts.
Fever are adamant those responsible for the breach are no longer at the club, but they remain defiant in their stance of not naming the guilty party.
"These actions, and their outcomes, are unacceptable. Those responsible for the actions that led to the breaches are no longer associated with West Coast Fever or with Netball WA in any way," the letter said.
"We will not name and shame those responsible. To do so would not serve the best interests of our club, our members and fans or the sport, and we stand by this decision."
The Fever hope to appoint a new general manager within the next few days.
A new Netball WA chief executive will be named in the coming weeks.
Australian Associated Press
