By Nick Mullins BBC Sport rugby union commentator

They got there in the end, but Monday's belated decision to open the Premiership's golden gates to Rotherham still leaves an entirely avoidable stain on the increasingly grubby coat of rugby's image.

Quite why Rotherham weren't allowed to celebrate promotion on the final day of their season a couple of weeks ago in the time honoured fashion - or why we still weren't sure whether anyone would actually be relegated as a result last weekend - can only go down as an almighty public relations cock-up.

Can you imagine how footballing folk would react if Portsmouth's promotion to the Premiership was put on hold while the game's mandarins checked to see if they had "primacy of tenure" at Fratton Park?

Although football's bosses knew for the best part of nine months that Pompey were likely to win the First Division, for some reason, they waited until the final week of the regular season to kick up a fuss?

And to make things worse, the whole sorry saga was played out in exactly the same depressing way just 12 months before.

You honestly couldn't make it up, could you? And even if you did, no one would believe it.

I'm not sure where the blame lies, but there ought to be one or two feeling utterly ashamed of the part they've played in "Rotherhamgate" over the last week.

Rotherham coach Mike Schmid fulfilled his part of the bargain

The propensity for cock-up must make rugby union a world leader.

At a time when so many people - players, administrators and supporters - are working so hard to shape the professional game, it seems there are still those who continue to bumble around in a way reminiscent of the worst days of amateurism.

The five representatives of English Premier Rugby who voted against Rotherham's automatic elevation into their exclusive club have copped the flak, but through it all I can't help wondering about Rotherham's contribution.

That they ought to have been in the Premiership long before now is beyond doubt.

The players are a dedicated and talented bunch and you only have to listen to people like coach Mike Schmid to understand how traumatic the whole process has been for them.

They deserve to have their glory confirmed on the pitch and in the bar afterwards with trophy in hand.

Kilfoyle was angered by the delay

Yet for the for the second season running, a shortage of paper work meant promotion was ultimately decided in a committee room. If I were a fan, I'd be asking questions.

With the benefit of last season's experience, why was there even the remotest of possibilities this might happen again?

Who was responsible crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i'? And after all that, why wasn't it double-checked, triple-checked, underlined in red ink and then tucked safely away inside a manila envelope?

Rotherham can only be absolved of some blame in this tedious business if in their heart of hearts they believe they had every single base covered.

HAVE YOUR SAY Finally, Rotherham have been promoted. They really deserve it and I feel that they will stay up From Scott, Rotheram Join the debate

The battle with other sports for fans through the turnstiles, sponsors in the boxes and viewers on television is too intense to allow much more of the nonsense we have all suffered recently.

Accountability needed

The glass of goodwill has been drained dry and there can be no more excuses, no more fudges, no more calamitous decisions that would lead to sackings and resignations in the real world.

In a week when we should be digesting the end of the regular season and looking forward to play-offs and cup finals, we are forced once again to wonder if those who take the biggest decisions are fit to do the job.

Let's make sure that whoever's lucky enough to be crowned Division One champions next season can celebrate Premiership promotion as soon as the referee blows his final whistle - and not after some shadowy show of hands.