At today’s RFL council meeting, Keighley Cougars were the only club to vote against the proposals by IMG to give relegation immunity to the elite clubs.
Keighley Cougars take pride in promoting equality and fairness in all walks of life, both sporting and non-sporting.
To give elite clubs immunity from relegation runs contrary to our values.
Equality at Cougar Park means for people, society, and sport.
To create a top division with elite clubs who can never face relegation is only in the self interests of those involved.
It is unfair, it is anti-competition, and it isn’t sport.
Our Managing Director, Kaue Garcia, spoke to the RFL council that elitism is not what sport is about, and that in the long term it will damage Rugby League.
The Cougars are currently standing alone against the proposals, but we believe in our values and in the long term interests of our sport.
Rugby League already has rules about standards that clubs need to attain to get into the top division of the sport. These rules are understandable, attainable and fair.
What is not fair is for IMG to create a sport of elites to dominate and decimate the rest.
The vote today was in favour of the equivalent of the failed European Super League in football.
This was rejected at the highest level, with the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson commiting to legislate against it, citing a cartel and it being “against the basic principles of competition.”
Keighley Cougars are committed to equality for all.
Now we fight for the equality and fairness for our sport.
By Ryan O’Neill, Chief Executive.
Well done to all who spoke out – there are many who support you, Cougar supporters or not.
My sentiments entirely bro. Greed never ends well
Totally agree with the Statement.
We’ll done!
Fantastic. So proud of you for speaking out against this. I can’t believe they’re getting away with creating such a rigged system. Stealing the soul from Rugby League.
Well done, the proposals go against every principal of sport, there are no doubt many other clubs which are against this proposal but haven’t got the courage to speak out. This is a similar debacle which played out during Cougermania when Lindsey, Walker and Caisley tried to protect their cronies.
Well said no relegation is tried and failed
I cannot believe that Keighley are the only club to stand up to the rfl and img bullies…and of course the faceless other clubs that support self interest have just killed the game.
I totally agree 100% .
They keep trying to make it like American football and its not.
Every little team should play on a level field.
Well said. The proposals are narrow minded and selfish.
From a Leigh fan.
Great to see that some people have the courage to stand up for what is right. Well Done Cougars!
Well done for standing up and being heard. It’s sends the wrong message to kids playing the sport and essentially makes an all or nothing scenario for kids coming through. All the talent will want to go to the main clubs and this devalues the grass routes set up.
I am a Saints supporter who is against this idea of non relegation. Competition is what sport is about. Wonder how much influence came from Wire who were almost relegated. If you are outside top 6 with no change of getting to the final, every game is like a friendly
Excellent statement. I’m completely in favour of it.
If there are understandable, attainable and fair rules respecting to access to Super League, they must be kept, not destroy the sport and the possibility of clubs to access to the biggest competition of the sport
Totally agree with the Statement.
As a Rhinos fan I completely agree with Keighley Cougars, promotion and relegation keeps competition healthy and no club should be beyond going up or indeed down.
I’m a Saints fan and totally against the proposal, well done for standing up for your rights
Totally disagree and Totally unfair it will kill the smaller teams
The IMG proposals are ludicrus.What is the point of having a league competition without the prospect of promotion.This smacks of the discrimination of 28 years ago.What indeed is the point of a league if the promise of improvement is taken away.
It’s hard to imagine what clubs other than ‘the elite’ think will be beneficial to them…bizarre! Well done Cougars for having the courage to stand alone…
It is quite unbelievable that the RL is going down this path once again. Can anyone tell us why the other championship and league 1 clubs supported this stupidity. Turkeys voting for Christmas syndrome.
The RFL sold it’s soul to the TV companies many years ago and no doubt this current stitch up will follow an identical path. The IMG proposals give little thought to genuine competition and reflect their complete inability to understand the game at all levels. Only a completely useless and naive organisation such as the RFL would sign up for a deal lasting 12 years. They should also be explaining why the RFL CEO announced his resignation one month before these idiotic proposals were published and one month before the RL World Cup was due to begin. The recent vote by the clubs themselves would suggest lambs to the slaughter. Well done to the Cougars for standing up for what you genuinely believe in.