Wigan Warriors player Tony Clubb given eight game ban for racially abusing Hull's Andre Savelio

A Wigan Warriors player has been suspended for eight games after racially abusing an opposing team member during a match.

Tony Clubb made the racist remarks to Hull FC's Andre Savelio during their match at the DW Stadium on Thursday, 29 April.

Following an investigation Clubb was found guilty of the abuse by the Rugby Football League (RFL) and handed the eight game ban.

But an independent investigation has stated it does not believe he is a racist.

Wigan Warriors player Tony Clubb was handed an eight game ban by the RFU after he was found guilty of racially abusing a Hull FC player. Credit: PA Images

Play was stopped during the game between Wigan and Hull as Savelio made the complaint to referee James Child.

Savelio then took to social media after the match to explain the allegation, claiming Clubb had made a racial slur relating to his Polynesian heritage.

Following the incident both teams issued a joint statement saying they "stand firm against all types of discrimination and abuse".

It was investigated by the RFL where Clubb was found guilty of a Grade F charge of unacceptable language/abuse based on national or ethnic origin.

He was given then minimum suspension of eight games, and fined £500.

Andre Savelio took to social media after the match to give his side of the story. Credit: PA Images

An internal investigation by Wigan accepted the verdict of an independent tribunal that "the words used by Tony Clubb were ethnically offensive", but said it also agreed that, "Tony Clubb is not a racist, but on this occasion, he used unacceptable language in the heat of the moment".

Wigan say as a result they have now fined Clubb two weeks wages, which "will be put towards a dedicated education and diversity training programme through the Club’s Education and Community departments specifically targeted against abuse based on ethnicity."