Rugby Union: Evans denies misconduct allegations: Sacked WRU secretary breaks his long silence

DENIS EVANS, the former secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union who was sacked amid claims of up to pounds 10,000 of unauthorised expenditure this week, broke his near four- month silence to deny any impropriety last night, writes Robert Cole.

Having been put on paid leave of absence from his pounds 48,000-a-year job on 11 June, pending an inquiry into allegations made against him by the treasurer, Glanmor Griffiths, and other individuals, Evans finally had his contract terminated after nearly four years on Monday night for alleged grave misconduct.

But the 57-year-old Evans, who played once for Wales on the wing in 1960, last night claimed '(I) simply went about my job as a chief executive' and said he had done nothing dishonest. He claims that the vast majority of the 18 allegations made against him by the WRU disciplinary sub- committee were 'not proven' and that he did not know why he had been sacked.

In the end, the sub-committee decided he had been guilty of claiming for a taxi trip around Los Angeles, worth less than pounds 50, during a 10-hour stop-over on his return from a working trip in New Zealand; erroneously claiming 22 miles on expenses; claiming pounds 1,500 World Cup expenses to which it was found he was not entitled (which was later refunded); using a janitor as a chauffeur while on a drink- drive charge without proper authority, and incurring pounds 1,900 in overtime expenditure as a result; excessive use of taxis, and contacting his personal assistant while on paid leave of absence.

'It may seem large figures to some people,' Evans said, 'but when you look at the overall position within the Union in terms of finance it is a very small amount. Irrespective of that, I believe I was entitled to make decisions without running to the committee to ask for permission to do this, that and the other.'

Evans will decide over the weekend whether to fight his dismissal through the courts.

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