Tonga National Rugby League’s appeal against IRL expulsion dismissed [1]
Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 17:27. Updated on Monday, April 26, 2021 - 09:43.
An appeal by the Tonga National Rugby League (TNRL) against its expulsion from the International Rugby League (IRL) membership was dismissed by the international Court of Arbitration for Sport on 20 April.
The IRL expelled TNRL after a dispute with Mate Ma’a Tonga players when Coach Kristian Woolf was let go in September 2019.
According to the IRL, the arbitration judgement comes after a lengthy examination of the circumstances surrounding IRL’s decision to initially suspend and then, in March 2020, expel TNRL based upon several factors, which were having a negative impact on rugby league in Tonga and on the wider international game.
The judgment released on 20 April 2021 reads, in part:
- The appeal filed by Tonga National Rugby League Inc. is dismissed.
- The decision of the International Rugby League Ltd. in accordance with IRL Articles 24.4 and 25 during its Members’ General Meeting on 18 March 2020 to expel Tonga National Rugby League Inc. as one of its Members is upheld.
- As a result of its foregoing valid expulsion, Tonga National Rugby League Inc. is not a Member of the International Rugby League Ltd.
IRL said the CAS judgement recognised that its officials had consistently reached out to TNRL, which continually refused to cooperate, and to the wider rugby league community of the Kingdom of Tonga to try to ensure that the sport has the very best opportunity to grow, develop, build upon the success enjoyed by the Tonga national team and look forward to a very successful Rugby League World Cup at the end of this year.
Following the judgement, the IRL said it would maintain that stance and “looks forward to working earnestly with all stakeholders to ensure that the Tongan rugby league community can rebuild on firm foundations that are rooted in good governance and is able to fulfil the high expectations of the Tongan people.”
IRL membership
Since the TNRL expulsion, two separate organizations applied for full membership with IRL to become Tonga’s recognized national rugby league governing body last year.
The Asia Pacific Rugby League (APRLC) Head of Operations, Gareth Holmes, told Matangi Tonga today that to his knowledge, no other groups had applied since the initial applications last year.
“The matter is now in the hands of the IRL and we (APRLC) will await direction from them on the next steps.”
One of the organizations that applied for IRL membership is the Tonga Ma'a Tonga Rugby League (TMTRL).
Lord Fakafanua is the President of the TMTRL Board, with Semisi Sika as Chair and players Sika Manu and Will Hopoate as nominated board members.