Premiership Rugby is considering fines for Saracens after director of rugby Brendan Venter reportedly failed to attend a number of scheduled media appearances, the club has been told.
Venter, who has been referred to in some reports as a 'wine consultant', is said to have missed set media obligations, prompting the league to look at whether Saracens should be sanctioned for non-compliance with its regulations on media access.
The matter underlines the governing body's enforcement of rules designed to guarantee coaches and club officials make themselves available to broadcasters and journalists. Premiership Rugby has procedures in place to investigate breaches of those requirements and to impose penalties where appropriate.
If the league finds the club in breach, fines or other sanctions could be levied against Saracens. The situation is likely to prompt renewed discussion inside the sport about how strictly media-availability rules are policed and the responsibilities of clubs and their senior staff to meet those obligations.