England and Saracens star Billy Vunipola was arrested and fined for “disobedience” and resisting arrest following an incident at a bar in Mallorca.
Vunipola, 31, appeared in court on Sunday following the episode at a bar in the island”s capital Palma.
“This weekend’s incident of a man arrested for disobedience and resisting [authority] was brought to court yesterday, and he was released with charges,” a police spokesperson told AFP.
English Premiership club Saracens said they were aware of an event involving their player and would be dealing with the matter internally.
𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧.#YourSaracens💫 pic.twitter.com/brNzGyhZNU
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) April 29, 2024
Vunipola released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand.”
He insisted there was “no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else”.
A statement on behalf of Billy Vunipola.#YourSaracens💫 pic.twitter.com/JvqiDAeiZh
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) April 29, 2024
Vunipola said he had been charged with resisting the law and was fined 240 euros ($257) after a brief trial.
“The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.”
The Mallorca-based Ultima Hora newspaper said Vunipola was tasered twice by police in the incident and that it took eight police officers to subdue and handcuff him.
The newspaper”s website carried a video showing a handcuffed Vunipola, as well as other men, being led from a police van into a courtroom.
Vunipola played for Saracens in the Premiership win against Bath on Friday night, but was given this week off, as the club is not part of this weekend’s European semi-finals.
The 31-year-old earned the last of his 75 Test caps in the 2023 World Cup semi-final against South Africa and was left out of Steve Borthwick’s England squad for the Six Nations.
Photo: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images