Seeking to avoid an “unfair advantage” being handed to Mariners opponents during the A-League season run-in, Peil confirmed he approached the governing body after the Bayern Munich-bound Adelaide United star reportedly rejected an eleventh hour approach from Olyroos coach Tony Vidmar to replace the injured Marco Tilio in his squad for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar.

Australia open their campaign against Jordan tonight, with Irankunda staying put at home, despite an FA edict that clubs must release players for the tournament if called up.

Whilst the matter remains opaque, Peil is unequivocal in his part in the saga, suggesting Irankunda opting to shun a belated call up - whilst the ladder leading Mariners were forced to release young guns Jacob Farrell and Alou Koul - created an unfair advantage heading into the last three rounds of the regular season.

Having beaten Western United to stay top on goal difference, the Mariners’ last two games of the regular season are at home to Irankunda’s Reds and away at Newcastle.

“I am sure FA will confirm I asked one simple question, was Irankunda given the choice of whether he was selected as Tilio’s replacement?” said Peil.

“If the answer to the question was yes, then FA would have inadvertently created an unfair advantage for one club, and a solution needed to be found.

"All I was interested in doing, after discussions with a number of other club chairmen, was maintaining a level playing field.

“Let me be clear, with five important games in the next 21 days my absolute preference as a solution would have been for us to be allowed to recall Farrell and Kuol for some of those games.

“These games are critical for our club, and to be playing them with two of the starting players from our victory over Wellington not available, well it’s tough to take.

“This was not a witch-hunt against a very good young player, or against Adelaide who I have massive respect for.

“It was me, as a chairman, trying everything I can to give our club the best chance of finishing top of the league and going as far as we can in Asia.

“I would have preferred to have Kuol, Farrell and Irankunda on the park this weekend as opposed to our guys being away overseas and Irankunda suspended.

“But, it turns out the media reports were incorrect and Tony Vidmar did not give the player the option, so case closed and we move forward”.

Peil reiterated that his clarification quest was totally independent of recruitment chief Matt Simon and coach Mark Jackson.

“They’ve had nothing to do with this, they have been solely focused on playing the inform Western United and then jumping straight on a plane for 30-plus hours travel to prepare the team to play Abdysh-Ata in AFC Cup," he stated.

Peil also confirmed at “no stage” did he try to hide his line of enquiry from media or other clubs.

“I think I had the right to ask the question because the integrity of the game is at stake,” he added.

“My job is to make sure the Mariners as a club are not unfairly disadvantaged in any way.”