SUSPENSION LIFTED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 176, 27 July 1944, Page 7

SUSPENSION LIFTED

THE LEAGUE DISPUTE

POSITION OF CITY CLUB

The suspension of E, Donovan, of the City club, has been lifted- by the Auckland ' Rugby League Board of Control, but the club having defaulted on two successive Saturdays has, under the League's constitution, incurred disqualification in the championship.

After being ordered off in the match with Richmond ■ for answering the referee back, Donovan was ordered by the Board of Control to apologise to the referee, but refused to do so. Donovan was suspended until he complied with the board's ruling, and the City club defaulted in the matches for which it was drawn in the following two Saturdays. .

Thovigh :the official statement made by the Board's chairman, Mr.. J. W. "Watson, after the matter had been considered in committee last night, made no mention of this 'aspect, it is presumed that Donovan has complied with the board's decision and has apologised. The position of the teams which City is due to meet in the remaining games of the championship was not mentioned in the statement, but the deduction is that City being ineligible, the opposing teams will score two championship points whether they win or not. It is understood that City will be eligible to contest the Roope Rooster contest when the championship is completed. The Official Statement On resuming after the discussion in committee last night, Mr. Watson said that a settlement had been reached to its satisfaction regarding the player who was under suspension, and the City club would be permitted to continue to play. However, under the constitution of the Auckland Rugby League, any team which defaulted for two successive matches it could not be awarded championship points for subsequent matches. . . Mr. Watson added that the board did not want to show a spirit of vindictiveness, and he had done everything possible to heal 'the breach with the City club. They wanted to be fair to themselves, the City club, and the player responsible for the unfortunate position. City Club's Statement Under fie impression that the chairman's statement does not reveal that the City Club used its best endeavours to bring about a reconciliation, the secretary, Mr. E. Givan, has requested Uie following statement to be published:—

Subsequent to tne ordering from the field of E. Donovan on Saturday, July 1, his suspension until such time as he apologised to Referee Kelly, and the defaulting of the City senior side on the two following Saturdays, it is now advised that the matter has been settled to the satisfaction of all parties concerned, and the Citv Club's senior team will take the field next Saturday. It would be mentioned that Referee Kelly did not ask for an apology.