RFL stars to oppose UK visa ban
September 01 2009 by Mark Johnstone
Tony Duggan in UK visa ban
Six players who were accused of illegally playing in the RFL Super League are set to appeal against their UK visa bans.
The players, who are all Australian and signed to Welsh side Celtic Crusaders, have been told by UK immigration officials they must leave the country on September 7.
The current ban means the six men face deportation back to Australia and a ten-year ban from returning to the UK. They are set to appeal against the ruling which will effectively ruin their playing careers in the UK.
It is only possible to have a hearing for visa appeal cases in your country of origin and the stars must return to Australia before they can appeal.
One of the six, Tony Duggan, 31, and the Celtic Crusaders leading try scorer over the last four seasons, said:
'It will be a hindrance for me because it's hard to sort out an appeal from another country.’
Duggan is currently joining fellow Australian and UK visa victim Damien Quinn playing in France with club side Lezignan.
The other players in the ‘visagate’ scandal are Crusaders captain Jace van Dijk, centres Josh Hannay and Mark Dalle Cort and second row forward Darren Mapp.
The visa bans are claimed to have been served as the six were not eligible to work in the UK. It has caused huge inconvenience to the struggling Welsh club.
RFL league communication manager Craig Spence denied the sport’s governing body was to blame. He told Sky Sports:
"For a couple of years there has been a bit of a grey area surrounding what is called the working holiday makers visa and I think that is what the problem here is. These players have been playing in the UK on these visas and the UK Border Agency has decided that is not appropriate and has deported them."
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