Ulster's postponed clash with the Sharks in South Africa may not be played this season - and the Sharks may be awarded the points for the fixture.
Dan McFarland's squad were struck down by illness in Durban last week and the game was called off.
Glasgow Warriors had similar issues in Johannesburg, with the URC later confirming that players were hit by gastroenteritis infections.
Read more: Ulster squad hit by 'unprecedented' levels of sickness
The province confirmed at the start of this week that tested samples showed that 29 players and 13 support staff suffered from E.coli and Norovirus. URC chief executive Martin Anayi described the incidents as "bizarre" and "unprecedented".
And Anayi has revealed that if a date cannot be found to fulfil the fixtures, a sporting committee made up of Union and club representatives will rule on the distribution of points.
The URC has commissioned an independent doctor to investigate whether it was just a coincidence that both squads were struck down - and whether one squad brought illness into South Africa.
Both were in Durban before heading to their respective destinations, reports the Irish Mirror.
"That's why we're doing the review, it's not to cast any aspersions or accusations or anything like that, it's just to understand what happened," said Anayi.
"It's quite odd when you've got two separate squads going down and contracting, as I understand it, two different bugs.
"How that happens is really important to us to see what measures we can take to try and ensure it doesn't happen again, the knock-on consequences of it happening are not good for anyone.
"To make sure it's an isolated incident that doesn't happen again, that's the aim of the medical review."
Anayi added: "It's bizarre, I think the teams agree it's bizarre - that's why we've got an independent doctor to look into it and to try and provide a review into what happened.
"With the two different bugs, it was two different bugs in one team. Not everybody in one team had the same bug.
"The first I heard of it was Friday morning so there's a little bit to go into for our clubs to inform the League and therefore everybody else, including the other side, the broadcasters and the fans a little bit earlier, and that's also part of the medical review, what we can learn going forward.
"But that's why we've asked the independent doctor to look into it for us."
Anayi added that the games may not be played due to the right schedule of the regular season fixture list, but also because it may not be possible to find a date that ensures fairness in the fixtures.
"It depends," he said. "Our rules say that they should be played where possible.
"And it's very difficult to get a space on the calendar because we don't really want mis-matches either, so we don't want to put a game in where the Boks are there or aren't there, when the international players on the other side aren't there and vice-versa.
"So trying to get that, that's why it's important that it's a sporting committee decision, that's it not a commercial but a sporting decision whether that game should be played is the important piece."
Anayi has been studying precedents elsewhere, including last season's EPCR rulings on games that did not go ahead in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup due to Covid outbreaks in squads.
Last term, Leinster were unhappy that their away clash with Montpellier was called off and the Top 14 club awarded five points when the province were ready to fly to France with a squad despite Covid issues
"EPCR has precedent where they couldn't play games, awarding points to the teams that could take the field," the URC chief said.
"We'll put all of that to our sporting committee, ideally there's a slot where we can replay the game. If there's not a slot then the sporting committee will decide what happens next."
Asked if it was likely that the South African teams are awarded the points, Anayi replied: "Hopefully not, no, hopefully we'll find a slot.
"But that's why I'm looking into precedents elsewhere, we haven't had that precedent in URC, we've managed to play the games again.
"So ideally, for me, we play the games but I don't want to put any of the teams in a prejudiced position, which it would have been had that game been played out the next day.
"The Sharks and the Lions were ready to play the games, it was unfortunate the other teams were unable to field a team.
"And so that's really the kind of conversation we need to take into the sporting committee, for them to look at those facts on their own merit and say, OK, do we have a slot, yes or not, are there any other factors we have to take into account and if the game can't be played, the precedent has been set elsewhere - but not in the URC - as to what happens.
"That's why it's important that we're looking into it but it's also important to say that a decision has not been made, it's not our decision to make as an executive team."
Better news for Ulster and Glasgow is that URC bosses are expected to pick up the tab if they do get to return to play their respective fixtures.
"That decision hasn't been made, on previous occurrences when we've had to travel back down to South Africa due to Covid, we've paid for everyone," Anayi stated.
READ NEXT:
- Next Northern Ireland manager - 7 potential candidates
"He's been useless..." - NI fans react to Ian Baraclough sacking
Irish FA chief says 'overall record of results' led to Ian Baraclough sacking
Kyle Lafferty banned for 10 games over use of sectarian language
Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox.
