The National Rugby League “deplores the stubbornness of the EPCR”, the organizer of the European Rugby Cups, two days after the cancellation of the match between Toulouse and Cardiff, said the French body to AFP.
“The LNR deplores the EPCR’s obstinacy in denying the obvious: it has indeed taken the iniquitous decision to cancel the match in violation of its own regulations”, explains the LNR to Agence France-Presse.
“Indeed, and contrary to what the EPCR suggests, its own protocol clearly indicates that its medical committee can only be seized if there is no validation of the match by the national medical authority – in l occurrence of the LNR expert committee”, adds the governing body of French professional rugby.
Highlighted Article 9
On Friday, the EPCR announced the cancellation of the meeting between Stade Toulouse and the Welsh club due to cases of Covid-19 among the French and the defending champion’s defeat on the green carpet, worrying about an uncontrolled epidemic with six positive cases at the start of the week and around twenty two days before the match.
“EPCR protocol provides that EPCR shall apply and defer to the protocol established by the league to which each club belongs and adhere to the position of the medical authority of that league with regard to the possibility for a club to play the match when positive cases are declared”, replies the NRL.
She recalls article 9 of the protocol put in place by the EPCR: “If no positive test result is obtained following the series of tests carried out two days before the match or if a club is able to confirm that the local public health authority (or the medical committee of the body, where a special waiver has been granted to deviate from these standards) has approved the application of the relevant protocols in the event of a positive test(s), the default position of the EPCR will be that the match can be played safely and there is no need to call in the Match Day Medical Risk Assessment Panel (MMRAP)”.
“Unfair decision”
Otherwise, it is this panel that must intervene and decide whether or not to hold the meeting. However, the LNR’s expert committee communicated its position to the EPCR on Thursday, ensuring that the Toulouse club could play this match.
The Rouge et Noir, holders of the title, have also published on their social networks a team composition which notably included the French internationals Thibaud Flament, Julien Marchand, Thomas Ramos or the Australian Rory Arnold, the Argentinian Santiago Chocobares or Maxime Medard…
“Therefore, the EPCR had to stick to this position and could not suddenly change, without reason, the rule and procedure to reach a different decision, except to seriously engage its responsibility towards the Toulouse Stadium and more. largely from all the consequences that would result ”, finally believes the NRL.
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This decision by the governing body of the European rugby cups had made the president of the LNR René Bouscatel roar who, in an interview with AFP, had denounced “an unjust decision”, Who “false and discredits” the competition.
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