Sanction Spain stays out of the 2023 World Cup for improper alignment of a player
Gavin van den Berg
has not played an entire match
with the
Spanish rugby team
.
But the minutes he played in the second part of two games, with the score already settled, have uncovered the lack of professionalism of the structures of this sport in our country.
The International Federation has left
the Lions
without the place they had won for the 2023 World Cup due to the improper alignment of this
pilier
born in South Africa.
They lose the points added by those two victories and the classification.
Van den Berg's Spanish adventure began in the summer of 2018, when he joined the Burgos Surveyors.
He played there for two seasons, the second interrupted by the pandemic.
When signing later for Alcobendas Rugby, he commented that in the Madrid club, one of the greats, he would have more possibilities of reaching the national team.
Sadly foreboding words.
It was in the fall of 2021 when the Madrid club presented the documentation for the striker to stop occupying a foreign position
.
He could avail himself of assimilation by residence since he had spent more than three years in Spain.
But that requirement has, for the International Federation, small print: "It is likely that at least ten months of physical presence in the country will be required."
The summers of Van den Berg entered the scene.
The possibility that, between one season and the next, he had spent more than two months outside our borders.
From Alcobendas it was pointed out that he had lost his passport.
Without that official documentation, the Spanish Federation received the request from the Madrid club and approved it.
Van den Berg no longer occupied a place as a foreigner, he became eligible.
Santiago Santos incorporated him into some training sessions.
He was not a regular starter or substitute, he only participated at the end of the two games won against the weakest rival in the qualifying group, the Netherlands.
Reported by Instagram
Those papers provided are what the Spanish Federation defines as "alleged falsification of a passport"
.
And what did not appear had been shown in other forums.
In February 2022, a Russian media outlet warned that in the summer of 2019 Van den Berg had spent at least three months outside of Spain.
His trips to European capitals on those dates disappeared from the player's Instagram account.
Although the Spanish Federation has not yet clarified who committed this "alleged forgery", it is clear that it points to Alcobendas Rugby.
The club, in turn, distances itself from the deception and points to several members - who would have already recognized it - from whom it will demand "responsibilities".
The truth is that no one warned the Federation of the risk involved in the player's international debut.
Because, parallel to the victories of
the Lions
, the Russian rumor became an official denunciation of Romania, the team that now beats Spain and gets a place in the World Cup.
The other beneficiary is Portugal, who will play the playoffs.
And our country, to the bench.
To sports and to the accused.
Preceding
The Spanish Federation has alleged before the international that it has been the first victim.
There is no doubt that she acted in good faith.
But it is inexplicable that she did not detect the irregularity when others noticed it on social networks
.
Against Spain weighs recidivism.
The scandal that broke out four years ago as a result of Iordachescu's biased arbitration concluded as it does now, with a sanction for the improper alignment of two players.
Our team ran out of options to go to Japan 2019. And since then there have been doubts and incidents about the eligibility of certain players.
Spanish rugby is now facing external discredit and an internal earthquake, because in domestic competitions other teams feel harmed by the irregularity.
The Federation announces "an extraordinary disciplinary procedure" that will surely punish Alcobendas.
To the slip in the offices can be added reputation problems and difficulties in attracting money and players.
"I only hope that those responsible pay for having frustrated our dream, for which we have fought and sacrificed so much,"
said one of the team's veterans, Víctor Sánchez.
The pain of the fans is also unfixable.
The bitter celebration, the tickets bought to see a team will not be there, the illusion that for the second time in four years becomes a nightmare.
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