NPR

Spain have been kicked out of the men's Rugby World Cup for the second successive tournament after being found to have fielded an ineligible player during their qualification campaign, with the player in question accused of possessing an allegedly forged passport used to qualify to play for Spain on residency....

After the oral hearing held this Thursday, April 28, with the independent judicial committee appointed by World Rugby to study the claim of the Romanian Rugby Federation (FRR) on the eligibility of Gavin Van den Berg , the highest body in world rugby has decided to penalize Spain with 25,000 pounds and deduct five points for each of the two games in which this player was lined up.

While waiting for World Rugby to make the ruling official, this decision means disqualification from the 2023 World Cup in France , a competition for which the XV del León had qualified directly by finishing second in the 2021-2022 Rugby Europe Championship .

As this very harsh sanction occurs as a result of an alleged forgery of the aforementioned player's passport, the Spanish Rugby Federation (FER) continues with the extraordinary disciplinary procedure initiated at the time and will shortly call a press conference to offer all the explanations that are required.

Marylandolorian wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 6:06 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 4:31 pm It feels incredibly harsh to sanction Spain in this way when World Rugby were given a chance to look at the player's documentation and didn't spot anything awry. Suggests it's not something the union should be expected to catch either (assuming they were looking...).

I bet it was a denunciation, tip-off from the FRR.

Spain's Rugby World Cup expulsion due to tampered passport

sockwithaticket wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 4:31 pm It feels incredibly harsh to sanction Spain in this way when World Rugby were given a chance to look at the player's documentation and didn't spot anything awry. Suggests it's not something the union should be expected to catch either (assuming they were looking...).

Rugby World Cup: Spain lose appeal against disqualification from 2023 tournament

Spain's appeal against their disqualification from the 2023 Rugby World Cup has been dismissed.

They clinched a World Cup spot for the first time in 24 years in March, but were later stripped of their place after World Rugby deemed they used an ineligible player - Gavin van den Berg - during qualification.

It is the second successive World Cup at which Spain have lost their place, both times for the same offence.

They will be replaced by Romania.

"The Independent Appeal Committee reviewed the original decision of the Independent Judicial Committee based on the evidence that was before it," World Rugby said

"Having considered detailed submissions from the Spanish Union and World Rugby, the Independent Appeal Committee dismissed the appeal."

Spain were given a £25,000 fine and will also have to pay a £50,000 suspended fine from a previous eligibility breach made in qualifying for the 2019 World Cup.

With Romania taking Spain's place in Pool B, Portugal can now secure their place through a final qualification tournament in November.

The World Cup takes place in France from 8 September-28 October 2023.