ARL Statement regarding Selwyn Bennett

The Chairman of the Australian Rugby League and the Rugby League International Federation, Colin Love, today was scathing in his criticism of the New Zealand Rugby League and its conduct in relation to the Nathan Fien affair.

Responding to claims in the weekend press by the former chairman of the NZRL, Selwyn Bennett, which pointed the finger of blame at the ARL for the mix-up, Mr Love said:

“Contrary to Mr Bennett’s assertion in today’s report, I was never asked to look into the eligibility issue prior to New Zealand selecting and playing Nathan Fien in Tri Nations matches.

“The facts are that back on October 19 Geoff Carr (CEO, ARL) raised a specific query with Selwyn Bennett concerning Nathan Fien’s eligibility. He was given a verbal assurance by Mr Bennett that he (Selwyn Bennett) had investigated the matter – and that Fien was eligible to play for New Zealand because his grandmother was New Zealand-born.

On that same day Mr. Bennett confirmed his assurance in writing, and attached a copy of a birth certificate which he stated was the birth certificate of Nathan Fien’s grandmother. Mr. Carr accepted in a spirit of trust and good faith the information provided to him by the chairman of the controlling body of a fellow Rugby League nation.

It subsequently transpired however that the birth certificate was not that of Fien’s grandmother but one relating to his great grandmother – and that Mr. Bennett had been aware of that fact on October 19, as had been the coach and a manager of the New Zealand team. Mr. Bennett had not communicated that knowledge to Mr. Carr, nor apparently to his own Board ... or to anyone else involved in the conduct of the Tri Nations tournament.

It later emerged that Nathan Fien had presented the NZRL with four birth certificates but that the NZRL had chosen to selectively put forward only one of them - and to erroneously represent that one as being the birth certificate of Fien’s grandmother.

Once the query was raised regarding Nathan Fien’s eligibility, the NZRL were put on notice that this was an issue demanding official explanation. It has always been the case in international Rugby League that it is the firm responsibility of each nation to ensure that the players it fields in the national team are eligible players.

I have attempted to avoid the use of words such as `deception’ in my comments to date about this whole affair but to say that I am extremely disappointed is an understatement. I believe that some of the conduct now apparent has been disgraceful.

I received calls from a number of people in New Zealand following the hearing and penalty handed down in the matter – including from the present acting chairman and a former chairman of the NZRL – all of them apologising for what had happened and agreeing that it was blatantly obvious that Nathan Fien was ineligible to play for NZ.

It is a very, very sad situation if Mr. Bennett is now saying, as he appears to be: “You should not have believed and relied on what I said was the truth. You should have doubted me.”

This whole business has not done anything to improve the standing of international Rugby League - and the prolonging of it now by people attempting to absolve themselves of responsibility for what took place does them or the game no credit.

But as far as the ARL is concerned this is now a closed book. It has been an unfortunate saga, deflecting attention from a successful tournament which has produced a standard of football of the highest quality.

The attention of the Australian Rugby League is now entirely focused on the two Tri Nations games remaining - and on the wonderfully exciting fortnight that lies ahead for rugby league.”