Tuesday 23 September 2014 14:04, UK
Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington has been charged with improper conduct by the Rugby Football League.
Hetherington will face an independent tribunal on October 1 over comments he made about the RFL's investigation into homophobic comments alleged to have been made by Rhinos full-back Zak Hardaker.
The 57-year-old, who played for Castleford, Leeds, York and Huddersfield, accused the governing body of carrying out a witch-hunt against Hardaker and also claimed it was using the services of a lip-reader in an attempt to prove the case.
The RFL announced last week it was dropping the investigation due to insufficient evidence but now Hetherington finds himself in the spotlight.
A statement from the RFL read: "Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington has been charged with improper conduct for questioning the motivation and integrity of an RFL investigation into an incident in his club's First Utility Super League fixture against St Helens, played on Friday August 29.
"Mr Hetherington is charged with a breach of operational rules...by engaging in conduct which is prejudicial to the interests of the game."
Hetherington, a former president of the RFL and founder of Sheffield Eagles in 1984, has been at the helm of Leeds since 1996 and has overseen the most successful period in the club's history, with six Grand Final victories in the last decade.
The Rhinos were also crowned world club champions three times in that period and last month ended a 15-year wait to get their hands on the Challenge Cup when they beat Castleford at Wembley.