Asia Rugby President & EXCO 2024-2028 – Financial Fallout Continues

The Asia Rugby President and EXCO 2024-2028 were voted in at the start of November 2024 as the leadership group has been entrusted to grow the game in the region, but it faces challenges as the fallout from the World Rugby Audit has been impactful.

Asia Rugby said following its Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on Friday, November 8, 2024, in Bangkok, that the re-election of Qais Al Dhalai as President (who they claim to have received overwhelming support from 29 unions), “underscored his leadership in the growth and development of rugby across Asia.”

The President and EXCO members will serve a term of four years according to the ARFU Regulations ARFU Regulations (Amended 12-12-2022).

However, the voting was closer than they would like to publically announce or acknowledge. Although Qais Al Dhalai was cleared for the win, we have heard from those in attendance that it was not all clear sailing and that contender Ada Milby from the Philippines had a lot of support. There were also proxy votes and some rulings that the independent election committee cleared but some felt were questionable.

Al Dhalai will also serve as Asia Rugby’s representative on the World Rugby’s Council, but so will Ada Milby. Since the Asia Rugby AGM, Al Dhalai also ran for a position on World Rugby EXCO but was unsuccessful.

Asia Rugby President & EXCO 2024-2028 Positions

• President: Qais Al Dhalai (UAE)
• Deputy President: Terence Khoo (SRU)
• Vice Presidents: Rizwan Ur Rab Malik (Pakistan), Tanka Lal Ghising (Nepal) and Kensuke Iwabuchi (Japan)
• World Rugby Council Member: Ada Milby (Philippines)
• Executive Committee: Gerald Prabhu (India), Angelina Liu (Singapore), Mohamad Fahmy Bin Adb Jalil (Malaysia), Yudha Ramon (Indonesia), Batbayar PurevJargal (Mongolia), Aigul Jartybayeva (Kazakhstan) and Abdallah Jammal (Lebanon).

World Rugby Financial Audit Caused Fallout Among Asia Rugby Unions & Federations

Even if the EXCO elections were without fault, it’s the communication from Asia Rugby that sits uneasily with any neutral observer and in fact many of the representing unions.

When Asia Rugby publically states that Al Dhalai, “has led Asia Rugby through significant milestones in his first term, will continue to guide the organisation in its mission to promote and expand rugby at all levels throughout the region and have the sport flourish as per his first vow when taking the back in 2019,” it makes a mockery of how bad the situation is but they prefer to portray a sense of unity and false transparency.

Several Asia Rugby unions and federations have expressed their disappointment and are embarrassed by the World Rugby’s financial audit which exposed how poorly the governance and finances have been managed.

We have seen more than one union send correspondence to Asia Rugby to communicate the dissatisfaction. Especially as World Rugby has halted sending any monies to Asia Rugby until the situation improves – which even put the recently held final leg of the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series under a cloud of doubt – the hosts (TRU) were less than impressed.

Rugby Competitions Impacted by Financial Crises?

Photo Credit: Thai Rugby Union

In summary, there were many unhappy individuals and unions in the leadup to the Bangkok 7s and AGM due to the financial situation Asia Rugby finds itself in, and it is self-inflicted.

Correspondence from World Rugby to Asia Rugby is clear, “It is important to state at the outset that the Executive Board is firmly of the view that the core reason for the current situation is Asia Rugby’s inability over the past four years, to resolve the domicile position, open its own bank account and manage its governance and financial controls in an appropriate manner….the decision to suspend all funding to the Regional Association was not taken lightly.”

Competitions are suffering. Remember that Asia Rugby has signed a total of one commercial partner since 2019 and no financial value of the deal has been communicated. When the statement of intent for the new Asia Rugby Council says that they will “increase support and visibility for the sport across Asia and monetise the region’s commercial inventory,” it is read with some doubt but the bar is also low.

Unannounced via any official Asia Rugby channels, the Asia Rugby U20 Rugby Sevens 2024 tournament was due to be hosted by India in Ahmedabad from 23-24 November but is now no longer going ahead after the hosts pulled out and no alternative was found. Internally, the following was communicated “Due to the late withdrawal of the 2024 Asia Rugby Emirates Under 20 Men & Women 7s host and the inability to secure a new host, the competition has been cancelled for 2024.”

The Asia Rugby Women’s Division 1 tournament 2024 tournament was also to be hosted by Rugby India from December 13-21, with Asia Rugby confirming mid-year that India will compete against Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. It also has now been removed from the Asia Rugby calendar but no announcement has been made.

This is transparency?

The final regional tournament due to be hosted is the Asia Rugby U19s Men Championship in Chinese Taipei from 18-20 December 2024. This was due to include the hosts, Hong Kong China, Malaysia, and Japan. Chinese Taipei Rugby Union expressed their frustration online in November 2024 and said they intend to host and HKCR has expressed their intention to compete while the JRFU was uncommitted it seems.

One of the main issues is that this tournament usually is the pathway qualification to the World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy tournaments –  but World Rugby is not running these competitions in 2025 (no official reason provided as of yet) and the regional tournaments are devalued as a result.

We have heard that there could be even an unofficial hosting embargo from the dissatisfied unions in the region until Asia Rugby sorts out this serious financial matter but that is speculative.

Other tournaments that didn’t go ahead in 2024 (most before the World Rugby Audit was released) were:

• Asia Rugby Men’s Championship Division 2 (merged with Division 1) 
• Asia Rugby Men’s Division 3 2024 Cancelled
• Asia Rugby U19s Men Div 1 2024 Cancelled
• Asia Rugby Women’s Division 1 2024 Cancelled
• Asia Rugby Sevens Challenge 2024 (Was due to debut in 2024 but didn’t take place – merged with the Trophy Sevens)

Should we even mention the Asia Rugby Grand League?

It’s a new leadership group for the next four-year cycle but the Asia Rugby President & EXCO 2024-2028 have some familiar faces. Instead of constantly flaunting taglines that make them feel good, the rugby public, players, administrators, fans, and media want to see actual transparency, improvements and accountability.

With a new World Rugby leadership in place too – eyes will be on the region to improve – and quickly. We don’t raise these issues out of a place of resentment or hate but from our love for this sport and what it could achieve in Asia.

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