KEIGHLEY COUGARS have issued their latest strong riposte to the IMG tweaks and changes revealed yesterday.
In those tweaks, the Catchment category has now been renamed “Community” and will include points under the proposed model for clubs’ positive impact in the communities in which the sport is based and played.
That category will now be worth up to 2.5 points of the maximum 20 on offer whilst the Finance pillar will now carry a maximum of 4.5 points, compared to the original 5.
The minimum standards are also set to be enforced to a much greater extent, with the standards being broken down into eight categories.
One of those categories is Community Game Development which requires clubs to have a registered Foundation and an engaged Community Development Plan to be graded A or B and Talent and Performance Pathway, with a Women’s team required for a Grade A Talent and Performance Pathway as well as complying with the Player Welfare Policy.
There are also Minimum Standards around Anti-Doping, Environmental Sustainability and compliance with Rugby League’s Professional Club Governance Code – which includes Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
But, Keighley owners Kaue Garcia and Ryan O’Neill feel that this is still “micro-grading by spreadsheet”.
“Keighley Cougars thought that after extensive consultation and complaints from a wide number of clubs, the RFL in conjunction with IMG would take the objections into account and realise that the level of competition amongst clubs should remain on the field, which hasn’t been addressed since only 25% of points are given by the performance on field,” Garcia and O’Neill said in a joint statement to League Express.
“The new proposals still doesn’t change the fact that this remain overwhelmingly sport by spreadsheet. Minimum standards, absolutely yes, micro-grading by spreadsheet, no.
“There is no point winning the One Million Pound Game any longer, as you have to worry about LED screens, etc.
“This remains anti-sport and it is sad that they have now masqueraded the ‘Catchment Area Pillar’ under a new name ‘Community’ but will still give 1.5 points to where clubs are located, which is totally out of our hands and will penalise clubs that have been pivotal to the success of this sport, while rewarding so called expansion areas. Rather than scrapping this, they have turned a blind eye.”
The Cougars are firmly standing up for what they believe in, but it will be interesting to see if they are able to garner wider support when it comes to the Council vote on April 19.
