RLIF officials have helped avert a boycott by Lebanon players of Saturday night’s Pacific Test with Fiji after a crisis meeting with Cedars captain Robbie Farah and other NRL stars.
Lebanon will play in Saturday's Test against Fiji at Leichhardt Oval and the players have agreed to removing tape covered over their jersey's logo with the RLIF helping resolve the issues between the feuding factions.
Earlier on Wednesday, Farah said the Cedars would "seriously consider" withdrawing from the Ox & Palm Pacific Test in response to a threat from the LRLF that it would come down heavy on players covering the team logo.
Farah claimed the players were united in their stance and remained hopeful "we will be heard and there will be change".
The Wests Tigers hooker, who was one of Lebanon’s stars as they reached the quarter-finals of the 2017 World Cup, later attended a meeting with RLIF CEO Nigel Wood and Southern Hemisphere Jeremy Edwards.
Other senior Cedars players, including Parramatta prop Tim Mannah and Canterbury hooker Michael Lichaa, were also in attendance and Wood and Edwards convinced them to play and not tape over the Lebanon RL logo.
In return, the RLIF agreed to follow up their complaints with the Lebanon RL.
"The RLIF today met with representatives of the Lebanese playing group to better understand some of the issues which culminated in a potential threat to this weekend’s fixture," Wood said.
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"We believe the meeting was positive and productive and have subsequently asked for submissions in writing.
"The RLIF can and will play a role in seeking a mutually acceptable outcome, while recognising that fundamentally any dispute such as this can only be a matter for Lebanon RL and its players to actually agree and resolve.
"If we can play a role in rebuilding levels of trust in the best interests of rugby league in Lebanon then of course we will do so."
Farah had earlier addressed the media to say the players remained hopeful "we will be heard and there will be change".
"We didn't want to get our hands forced into this action but we thought that was the only way we'd be heard," Farah said on Wednesday.
"As a playing group we're united in demanding some change. We've been pushing for change in the background but our requests have gone unnoticed.
"They're not listening to us and not respecting what we're asking for, and we're not asking for much."
The LRLF warned players and coaches planning to cover the team logo that "it is a criminal offence to denigrate the national emblem of the Republic of Lebanon".
In a statement released on Wednesday on its website, the LRLF said any player or official covering the logo would face misconduct charges and be "be suspended with immediate effect pending the outcomes of any misconduct hearing".
The threat of "significant monetary fines" was also included in the statement.
The response comes following a protest by Lebanon players over what they see as a failure to capitalise on the success of the team in the 2017 World Cup.
They're not listening to us and not respecting what we're asking for.
Robbie Farah
The LRLF said its 2018-19 calendar was a success with 17 teams competing in adult and 13-a-side junior competitions.
"The LRLF will seek significant monetary fines on any person found guilty of misconduct related to this incident," according to the statement.
"The Lebanese public prosecutor’s office has been made aware of the incident and will launch an investigation in coordination with the LRLF. It is a criminal offence to denigrate the national emblem of the Republic of Lebanon."
Farah feared Lebanon would lose their spot at the World Cup if the country doesn't establish a domestic competition.
"There is no domestic club competition in Lebanon and one of the requirements to be eligible in the international federation is that you must have a domestic competition, and if we don't get one up and running in the near future we're going to lose our spot in the World Cup," he said.
"People over there know what's happened the last couple of years and they're just worried about their own self-interests.
"We feel we're taking the necessary action to ensure the long-term future of Lebanon Rugby League. Sometimes you have to create a stir for people to listen to you."
