WNBL coach Paul Goriss and referee Simon Cosier banned

Sydney Flames owner Paul Smith has demanded the UC Capitals lose their points for an opening round WNBL win after a referee and coach were banned for sharing and using confidential training video for scouting purposes.

Referee Simon Cosier and Capitals coach Paul Goriss were both suspended for engaging in prohibited conduct after a Basketball Australia investigation found that the pair misused inside information and engaged in conduct that would impair public confidence in the integrity of basketball.

Cosier, who was suspended for the rest of the season, supplied Goriss, a two-time WNBL championship winning coach, with confidential video clips of the Sydney Uni Flames training scrimmage that had been used for referee education purposes.

Despite the guilty finding, an independent panel found that no actual advantage was obtained by Goriss or his team when the Capitals beat the Flames, coached by Australian legend Shane Heal, by three points in the opening round of the WNBL season.

But Flames owner Smith lashed the investigation and demanded the opening round result be overturned.

“We are bitterly disappointed by the actual incident but also the findings handed down by Basketball Australia’s independent hearing panel,” Flames owner and chairman Paul Smith said.

“This matter strikes right at the heart of the integrity of our league.

“While we will not comment on the individual suspensions handed down, we strongly disagree with the finding ‘no actual advantage’ was gained by the UC Capitals as a result of the actions of the coach and official.

“At no stage were any Sydney Flames coaching staff or players called to give evidence to the Independent Hearing Panel to fully ascertain what took place during the game and the advantage derived by the UC Capitals.

“We believe at a minimum the UC Capitals should lose the points and the result should be overturned with the win awarded to the Flames.”

Goriss was suspended from all coaching until January 20 for behaviour was labelled “unprofessional and extremely disappointing” by BA chairman John Carey.

After an investigation by the BA integrity unit the matter was referred to an independent panel that found Cosier and Goriss guilty and decided:

• Cosier is banned from all refereeing activities for the WNBL season for his part in offering and supplying the footage to Goriss; and

• Goriss is banned from all coaching activities including Opals duties until January 20, 2022, for using some of the clips for opposition scouting.

“This incident was immediately referred to the integrity unit who undertook a full investigation and referred the matter to an independent hearing panel,” Carey said.

“We will not tolerate this behaviour in basketball. It is unprofessional and extremely disappointing at any level of the game.”

The bans are effective immediately and both parties have 14 days to appeal the decision.

The Capitals said in a statement the club “take issues of sport integrity with great seriousness” and Goriss had “accepted responsibility “ for his actions.

“Goriss has demonstrated exemplary character on and off the court over many years and the club is supportive of Goriss now and into the future,” the statement said.

Capitals assistant coach Kennedy Karema will step into Goriss’s role while he serves his suspension.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ70qmmq6xfl660t8StmZqknGSubsPNm6Nmm5%2BWsKl5wKebZqqVm7KzscRmn5qulWKvprHNZpmapp6asW6yzqtkrquZo7RutculnKCZnGLDqrDEqGSfp5%2BprqixjqecsKtdqMGwvthoa2xpZ2aApK%2FFb2ifcGOYr3qxw2lna5uWboGmgsNyb5o%3D