Last week, finally getting around to watch the hit - and on occasion, miss - movie The Laundromat, it did at least reaffirm a long-held theory around cheating the system.

A whimsical glance back at the Panama Papers, it reminded that big business bends and breaks rules by making what should be simple so much more complicated.

In essence, if you throw in enough paperwork, create enough distance, and tangle enough strings, to make sense of it involves time and effort.

This sees many in the public domain give up caring, as it's easier to look the other way.

Consider that in terms of the following list of names and deals, transactions and confusion, that emerged at the start of the year around Saracens and their owner Nigel Wray.

Expand Close Nigel Wray / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Nigel Wray

In 2016, he set up a company called MN Property Solutions Limited which brought in Maro Itoje as a director and shareholder.

Then there was Oghene Holdings Limited, where Itoje owns two-thirds of the shares and Wray the remainder.

In 2017 two investment property companies set up by an associate of Wray's were called ShahDan Limited and DanCallie Limited, with the former becoming VuniProp Limited as the Vunipola brothers came in as joint directors, and the latter became Wiggy9 Investments with Richard Wigglesworth the newest addition.

Next was Faz Investments with Owen Farrell the latest player going into business with Wray.

If it looks like a duck, if it swims like a duck, and if it quacks, then it's probably a duck.

These companies don't actually appear to do very much - lacking so much as a website, phone number or any other contact details.

Thus the rugby world has always eyed Wray and his club with huge skepticism and suspicion as, in an arena of salary caps, he's managed to put together a dream team, while in the background doing all of this.

Expand Close Saracens' Owen Farrell. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile SPORTSFILE / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Saracens' Owen Farrell. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

On Tuesday, Premiership Rugby had its say:

"The decision of the Independent Panel is that Saracens Rugby Club failed to disclose payments to players in each of the seasons 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. In addition, the Club is found to have exceeded the ceiling for payments to senior players in each of the three seasons."

Some might argue it's not the place of the authorities to investigate accounts that aren't directly linked to the team, and it's not breaking the salary cap due to distance.

But this is the same type of chaos and muddying of the waters that allows those suits behind much wrong to act as if it's all right.

Back in the days of 'Yes, Minister?', the repeated idea was around how bureaucracy sustains and reproduces the status quo, relying on peoples' apathy to ensure they never crack the code of what's really going on.

There's an obvious reason we have a term like blind them with science. This was clearly Wray's methodology and tactic, although in this case thankfully an independent commission picked through the rubble, looking hard enough for long enough to show that all wasn't well.

There's a problem though. Catching someone is fine, but it's a two-step process.

Crime. Then punishment.

If you think a fine of over £5m and a 35-point deduction was harsh - and the club is currently appealing the sanction so the punishment is provisional - then it's to completely misread the situation and the scale of what Saracens did.

Expand Close Alex Goode (l) and Saracens’ Alex Lozowski celebrate winning the Champions Cup last May. Photo: Richard Sellers/PA Wire PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Alex Goode (l) and Saracens’ Alex Lozowski celebrate winning the Champions Cup last May. Photo: Richard Sellers/PA Wire

The club say the ruling acknowledges that they didn't do so deliberately, but they broke the rules, and therefore cheated, in order to win Premiership crowns. Nowhere has it been suggested officially they'll be stripped of those victories, thus they might end up keeping the benefits of their cheating.

This is serious stuff, and other sports have laid down serious deterrents for a reason. In the NRL, for 2007 and 2009, there are no champions listed as the Melbourne Storm broke their salary cap.

Meanwhile, back in the 1980s, the SMU Mustangs received the death penalty and their team was terminated for creating a slush fund to pay amateurs. It's tough but it's also fair on the rest.

Basically though, Saracens' efforts appear to have been worth it when you consider the punishment. Why wouldn't you rob the bank when, even if caught, you still hold onto what you stole?

For Wray and his side, this remains an excellent investment on their part, as a look at the roll of honour in the Premiership sees no asterisk and no omissions.

If that's the message sent out, how many other clubs would, and probably should, do likewise?

That's some precedent to set.

For example, is this so different from the Tour the France where across the 2000s names were struck from the record books?

Lance Armstrong won by gaining an unfair advantage, as Saracens did by playing under a completely different set of guidelines to those they were facing.

They doped financially, and they should now own up to what they tried to pull and not cower away.

Not surprisingly, however, this is exactly what Saracens have done. Cheating happens and, while out of line, what's a far greater irritant is the reaction to it.

Yesterday, their whine ticked all the boxes. They said that setting up companies in order to compensate and improve the wealth of their players three years running wasn't deliberate.

"The Club made administrative errors relating to the non-disclosure of some transactions to PRL and for this we apologise. We are pleased to confirm we now have a robust governance framework in place and this will be overseen by an external counsel to ensure the Club follows best practice."

Then they reached peak bullshit even by the standards of modern sporting public relations.

"Saracens is proud of its pioneering, innovative approach to player welfare, developing their talents and supporting their entrepreneurial spirit for life beyond rugby.

"The Club will continue to vigorously defend this position especially as PRL precedent already exists whereby co-investments have not been deemed part of salary in the regulations.

"Furthermore, it is the Club’s belief that the Panel’s narrow interpretation of the regulations is detrimental to player welfare across the league and is damaging the development of elite level rugby in the UK."

It takes some going for those who bypass the laws to pass it off as some superior value system. It seems those best off always think the rules are for someone else.

Back with the Panama Papers, there's a quote from Ramón Fonseca, who ran the company that helped so many others beat the system to stay at the top of the pile.

"The simple truth of the world is that most games, for someone to win, well, someone has to lose," he says.

Saracens won as they caused so many others to lose.

The worst part is they are the latest example showing us all that those who cheat the system keep on winning.

Online Editors