Salford winger Justin Carney could be banned for at least eight Super League matches after being accused of racial abusing an opponent.
The former Sydney Roosters and Canberra player was sent off 26 minutes into the Red Devils' 29-22 win over Toronto Wolfpack in the fifth round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup on Sunday.
It is thought he was shown the red card for comments directed at Toronto's former Leeds prop forward Ryan Bailey.
Salford announced after the match that they would be carrying out their own investigation into the circumstances leading up to the dismissal and the 28-year-old Australian has now been charged by the RFL's match review panel with verbal abuse based on race or colour.
Carney is facing a grade F offence, the most severe category, which normally carries a ban of eight matches or more. Alternatively, if found guilty, he could be handed a fixed time period of suspension.
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Carney does not have the option of an early guilty plea and will face a hearing in front of an independent disciplinary tribunal in Leeds on Tuesday evening.
