The future of rugby league in the UAE was thrown into turmoil on Friday after reports surfaced that Rugby League Commission (RLC) president Sol Mokdad had been arrested.
A rearranged Nissan Rugby League Cup game that was due to be played on Friday night between Dubai Sharks and Xodus Wasps was cancelled by the Sharks, with next week’s Grand Final now set to follow suit.
– #Quiz360: WIN brunch for two at the Capital Centro Hotel, Abu Dhabi
– Dubliner Tyson Byrne dreaming of UAE cap ahead of Asia Rugby Champ
A report first surfaced on rugbyleaguehub.com on Wednesday, indicating Mokdad had been arrested on Wednesday.
Author Steve Mascord, a renowned Australian rugby league journalist, obtained a leaked letter sent from Dubai Sharks to its players informing them that the match versus Wasps at Dubai Sport City on Friday had been cancelled.
The story was later picked up by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Mokdad’s arrest was confirmed, although it remains unclear as to why.
Unsubstantiated reports claim fraud charges have been brought against the 30-year-old, of New Zealand and Lebanese origin.
The RLC was forced to undergo a hasty rebranding a few weeks ago amid a row with the UAE Rugby Federation (UAE RF), which had threatened legal action over rugby league and touch rugby’s use of ‘UAE’ to promote themselves.
– شرطة دبي تلقي القبض علی سول مقداد رئيس اتحاد الرجبي المزيف بأحد فنادق دبي pic.twitter.com/wicufKPn5m
— الاتحاد الرياضي (@alittihadSport) May 6, 2015
The UAE RF said it was the only authority permitted to promote rugby in the UAE by the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare.
The UAE RF said it would issue an official statement on Sunday, although it did retweet a tweet from UAE-based Arabic sports newspaper Al Ittihad Sport, which detailed Mokdad’s arrest.
The RLC declined to comment.
Al Ain Amblers were due to face either Wasps or Abu Dhabi Harlequins in the Cup final, but that has now been thrown into doubt.
Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) general manager Danny Kazandjian said he had been made aware of the issue but added he had been unable to discover any accurate information.
RLEF is the umbrella body for nations playing rugby league in Europe and Northern Hemisphere.
