Harlequins winger Tom Williams lied to a disciplinary hearing investigating a fake blood scandal because of the club culture developed by coach Dean Richards, the player told an appeal panel.

Tom Williams was initially handed a 12-month ban by European Rugby Cup (ERC) for his role in fabricating an injury by biting a blood capsule to allow a recognised goal-kicker onto the field in his side's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster in April.

Leinster won the game 6-5.

Harlequins were fined €300,000 and Richards banned from coaching worldwide for three years for their roles in the scandal. Club physiotherapist Steph Brennan, who gave Williams the blood capsule, was banned for two years.

Williams, however, had his suspension reduced to four months on appeal with his evidence to the committee being made public by ERC.

The 25-year-old said he had felt forced to sign a statement that was untruthful and felt coerced into lying at the original hearing and that the culture created by Richards at the club meant he was afraid to question those decisions.

"I was growing increasingly anxious at the prospect of lying to the tribunal," Williams's evidence said.

"At the time, I did not consider that I had a choice. Dean had directed a course and my job was to follow him, not challenge him.

"He gave directions and these were followed... I did not feel able to challenge his authority. I do not think I have seen another player challenge his authority."

Intense pressure

Williams added that he had met with Harlequins chief executive Mark Evans after the initial 12-month suspension had been handed down to discuss an appeal.

He said he had wanted to appeal on "full disclosure grounds", whereas Evans thought because of the potential financial and commercial ramifications it would be better to limit the appeal to concentrate on the length of the ban.

"Mark was friendly but outlined the consequences of my appealing on a full disclosure basis," Williams said.

"The club would likely be expelled from the Heineken Cup, this would result in substantial loss of income, sponsors would withdraw, the playing budget would be reduced by two million pounds, the bank would seek repayment of loans, there would be redundancies... and the club would likely be relegated."

Williams said he had felt "under intense pressure from the club not to appeal on a full disclosure basis".

However, the club changed their mind, he said, after Richards resigned and he decided to continue with the full disclosure appeal.

ERC said in their judgement that had Williams not made the full disclosure at the appeal "the truth of what had occurred would have been very unlikely to have been uncovered".

His ban would also not have been reduced had he not "wholly explained", the appeal committee said.

ERC are expected to publish their judgments on Harlequins, Richards and Brennan over the next few days.