Originally Posted by
upthemaggies
It's long been the case that you can call a game off if you have enough players unavailable. The 1980 Boxing Day clash with Cambridge for example was called off because the Cambridge squad had been hit by flu. Chester on New Years Day 1987 was called off due to them having a virus.
Whether or not the FL make a distinction between players being unwell and being injured, I don't know, but it wouldn't seem very fair if they did. How would they verify it? It's probably been a case of assuming all clubs act in good faith until recently, but it is a matter that is now being discussed and re-evaluated amid suspicion that clubs are gaming the rules.