WIDNES Vikings will have been relieved at the decision of the independent body Sports Resolutions to uphold the decision by an independent RFL tribunal to find Salford Red Devils guilty of breaching the salary cap in the 2014 and 2015 season.

The tribunal decided that the club would therefore be deducted six points and fined £5000.

Had Salford got some, or all of those points back it would have put the battle for a top eight spot back in the melting pot.

The tribunal found Salford guilty of the following.

1. Seeking to avoid declaring payments made to Tony Puletua by entering into a contract with the player via another company associated with the club.

2. Non declaration of benefits to Lami Tasi and Theo Fages.

An RFL Spokesperson said: “The decision today from Sports Resolutions clearly shows that the RFL disciplinary process is robust and fair.

"It is of utmost importance that clubs adhere to the salary cap and that if they are found to have broken it they are held to account.

"As we have previously stated and agreed we see this decision as final and binding and hope all parties involved can now focus on the rest of the season.”

A summary of the original decision by the Independent RFL Tribunal will be published on Rugby-league.com in the coming days.