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The origins of rugby league lay in the close-mindedness of the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
Having tried their utmost best throughout the early 1890s to placate the RFU, the northern clubs could not stomach the RFU’s attitudes for a moment longer, and so broke away to form what was to become the Rugby Football League in 1895.
By the stroke of the legislative pen officials in the Vichy Government all but wiped out the sport of rugby league in France during World War II.
In New Zealand the deep-running, albeit unofficial, prejudice against the thirteen-man game prevented generations of school boys from taking it up for fear of being vilified and reprimanded by a teaching profession dominated by rugby union puritans.
These policies have characterised the attitude of rugby union officialdom towards its younger brother down through the decades. You would think that in 2013 things may have changed, but alas, they have not.
One case in point is South Africa, where the sport of rugby league continues to fight for its existence and identity.
But the plight of South African rugby league (SARL) is not just about a game. What is at stake is the protection and recognition of basic human rights, including the freedom of association, the freedom of expression and the right to be free from discrimination.
The SARL is a registered sporting association in South Africa, but rugby league is not recognised as a sport by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).
This kills development at point blank range because without that recognition, the SARL is unable to receive financial assistance from the government, or be played in schools, or even receive corporate support, and sponsorship.
No sport can have a fair chance to grow in those conditions.
Listed among the august members of SASCOC are sporting heavyweights like ‘Mind Sports South Africa’, the ‘Majorette and Cheer-leading Association of South Africa’, ‘Ringball South Africa’, and the ‘Federation BOCCE’.
But there is no place it seems, for the celebrated sport of rugby league.
The crux of the issue is clause six of SASCOC’s Article of Association. This clause deals with membership of SASCOC and thus recognition.
Any sporting body that comes within the definitions set out in clause six must be granted membership. In my view, SARL comes within the definition set out in clause 6.1.2, which reads:
“The members of SASCOC shall consist of National Sports Federations affiliated to other major Interntational Federations governing sports presently not included in the programme of the Olympic Games.”
Rugby league is not currently an Olympic sport, but the SARL is affiliated to the rugby league International Federation (RLIF) which is an ‘International Federation’, and thus clearly comes within the definition in clause 6.1.2.
Of note is that clause 6.1.2 refers only to ‘International Federations’, and not ‘International Sports Federations’.
If it referred to the latter, the SARL would not be included because an “International Sports Federation” is defined in clause 1.29 as being one that “is recognised by the IOC and/or GAISF”.
The RLIF is not recognised by either of those organisations. It should also be pointed out that GAISF is now known as SportAccord, and IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset is lobbying hard to become its next president.
The SARL should be a member of SASCOC, but SASCOC don’t think so. In a letter to Brian Simpson, a Member of the European Parliament from north-east England, the South African High Commission in answer to a query from him requesting clarification on SARL’s route to recognition stated:
“According to Article of Association, clause 6, SASCOC does not recognise more than one National Sport Federation of a similar or same sport type.”
In other words, rugby league is not a distinct sport. According to SASCOC it is in fact, rugby union, and is thus prohibited from SASCOC membership.
Once again, rugby league suffers in silence at the hands of those who should know better.
The South African rugby union (SARU) initially supported the distinct code model but then backtracked and demanded the SARL come under its umbrella.
In April 2011 officials of the codes met and agreed on the distinct and separate nature of the two sports and that any notion of one governing body for both codes would be a breach of their respective constitutions.
SARU confirmed this to SASCOC in writing. At this point the inclusion of SARL in SASCOC should have been a formality. But it wasn’t.
A year passed and SARL was still not SASCOC registered. SARL follow ups at that time and even 12 months later to SASCOC and the Commonwealth Games Federation went unanswered.
A further approach to SASCOC in March 2012 was met with a response that SARL affiliate with SARU forthwith. Even Sport and Recreation South Africa, the government ministry responsible for sport in South Africa refused to assist, telling the SARL in an email in April 2012 that:
“Any form of rugby that Sport and Recreation South Africa will endorse has to be structured under the wing of and recognised by SARU.”
The SARL’s plight is reminiscent of the Vichy prohibition. A conspiracy of law, lobbyists, and politicians are determined to shut the game of rugby league out of existence.
Politically, the task of growing the sport seems impossible. The current Deputy Minister for Sport and Recreation South Africa is a former rugby union player.
The current President of SASCOC was the 2003 manager of the Springboks. One of the four elected SASCOC members is the current Deputy President of SARU.
South Africans tend to do things their own way, and any criticism of the way in which rugby league is treated would be like water off a duck’s back.
A possible option for SARL would be to take the issue of the interpretation of SASCOC’s Article of Association to court, but the cost is probably prohibitive, and the outcome highly uncertain in a country where corruption is rife and where strong prejudices based on race, religion, colour, and probably sporting preferences, still exist.
Despite these tribulations, according to Chris Botes of SARL the sport is gaining a small, but loyal following in South Africa, especially among students.
There are four provinces – Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Western Cape and Northwest.
There are also teams in Orange Free State, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo. Geographical distance is a major factor in limiting growth, especially when budgets are small.
However, the potential for rugby league to make inroads into the black population must be potentially huge. Rugby league’s free-flowing nature would find a natural following in the black communities where union has not, or will not, touch.
The only reason why rugby league hasn’t touched those communities is because it hasn’t been allowed to. The only explanation for the continued refusal of SASCOC to admit SARL is fear. What else could it be?
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