Clyde-Earnscleugh has had its punishment reduced, although not in a monetary sense, for fielding an ineligible player last month.
The club had been hit with a ban on its manager and assistant manager for two years, fined $750, its player-coach banned from playing for three weeks and lost all its points for the year.
But an appeal by the club to the Otago Rugby Football Union led to a hearing last week, chaired by Dunedin lawyer Robin Bates.
The decision was reserved.
The decision was released this week and, although the Otago union declined to comment and Clyde-Earnscleugh's counsel could not be contacted, it is believed the lengthy bans have been reduced.
The coach and managers of the Clyde-Earnscleugh team have been suspended from involvement in coaching and administration for 18 weeks from May 1, which effectively bans them for the rest of the season.
The team will be deducted 12 competition points, and an additional fine of $250 has been placed on the club.
Coach Corey Crosbie is free to play.
The club still has the right to appeal to the national union but it is unclear whether it is going to do this.
The team played an unregistered player, a prop, in early May to avoid defaulting a game, which it won over Upper Clutha.
Despite the points reduction, Clyde-Earnscleugh should still make the top six of the Central Otago competition.
