Doha RFC - Champions of the Arabian Gulf???

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=288867...

Tribunal decision on Abu Dhabi player today

Peter Townson
Doha: A representative from Doha Rugby Football Centre (DRFC) is today travelling to Dubai to participate in an Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union (AGRFU) appeals tribunal which may determine the destination for this year’s league trophy.
Doha, who finished their season with a home victory over Dubai Dragons last weekend, have launched an appeal against a decision handed down by the AGRFU on the eligibility of an Abu Dhabi Harlequins player who took part in their match against Doha on April 24, which Quins won by 34-10.
DRFC chairman, Howard Bevan, is travelling to Dubai to take part in the tribunal, which has come about after a disciplinary committee formed by the AGRFU found that the player in question had served his twelve match ban in full and was eligible to play.
However, the list of matches for which the player concerned was suspended included a number of second team matches and other tournaments – in others word every match played by Abu Dhabi Harlequins in the interim period – a fact that the DRFC committee found to be unfair.
The main complaint from DRFC is that the decision favours clubs who have more than one team in more than one competition.
“DRFC have launched an appeal following the ruling of the AGRFU disciplinary committee,” said Bevan, explaining the significance of the issue as it could effectively decide whether Abu Dhabi or Doha win the league this year.
“This favours teams in multiple competitions, making it easier for their players to serve their bans, which surely cannot be the intention of the disciplinary committee,” he added.
Next weekend, Abu Dhabi Harlequins take on the Dubai Hurricanes in Abu Dhabi, knowing that a win will leave them top of the table, and pending the result of the hearing today, out of reach of the other title contenders, Dubai Dragons.
The current confusion surrounding the league standings is that if Abu Dhabi are deducted points, and Doha are awarded extra, then the top of the table may change, leaving DRFC perched atop the other Gulf teams.
Chairman of Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Richard Harris spoke to Gulf Times yesterday, explaining that his club are eager to find out “one way or another” in time for their Friday clash with the Hurricanes.
“From our perspective we are looking forward to a resolution before 6pm on Friday so our players know exactly what they are playing for when they take to the field,” he said.
“We wish the issue wasn’t there, as we felt like we had not transgressed and we were exonerated by the AGRFU’s ruling on the issue,” he said, adding “we feel that the decisions we made and the processes we followed were correct.”
The result of the hearing is being hotly anticipated by the officials, players and fans of both teams, and although there is an element of confusion as to what exactly is going on, and what the possible outcomes may be, everyone knows that the honours for the 2009 AGRFU Gulf Premiership — the most important prize in Gulf rugby — are at stake.