The NFL has revealed that New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the deflategate scandal.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been banned for four matches by the league for his part in the incident, while the club have been docked their first-round pick in the 2016 Draft and a fourth-round selection in 2017 along with a $1m (£641,000) fine.
However, Belichick has avoided the fate of New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, who was banned for the 2012 season after it was revealed that his side were running a bounty system for hits against opposing players.
The league said in a statement: "In accepting the findings of the report, we note that the report identified no evidence of wrongdoing or knowledge of wrongdoing on the part of any member of the coaching staff, including head coach Bill Belichick, or by any Patriots' staff member other than Mr Jastremski and Mr McNally, including head equipment manager Dave Schoenfeld.
"Similarly, the Wells report is clear that Patriots ownership and executives did not participate in any way in the misconduct, or have knowledge of the misconduct.
"Nonetheless, it remains a fundamental principle that the club is responsible for the actions of club employees. This principle has been applied to many prior cases. Thus, while no discipline should or will be imposed personally on any owner or executive at the Patriots, discipline is appropriately imposed on the club."
Belichick was fined $500,000 (£321,000) for his part in the spygate scandal in 2007, while the club were docked their first-round selection in the 2008 Draft.
Simon Sinclair
