- Joined
- Mar 1, 2006
- Messages
- 13,888
- Country Flag
- Club or Nation
-
Help Support The Rugby Forum :
IRB to respect Fiji travel ban
- Thread starter TRF_Cymro
- Start date
Shaggy
First XV
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2010
- Messages
- 3,095
- Country Flag
- Club or Nation
Further to this, according to the New Zealand Stuff website, the new military head of the Fiji Rugby Union is demanding that the New Zealand Government announce now whether their players for the World Cup are going to face travel sanctions.
... As the Fijian government has succeeded in sacking the Fijian Rugby Board by withholding funds needed for their team to attend the RWC unless the board resigned, I can't see them getting much sympathy or support from the IRB, or that the NZ government will change their stance either.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...iji-demands-answers-over-RWC-travel-sanctions
Fiji demands answers over RWC travel sanctions
MICHAEL FIELD Last updated 16:09 12/05/2011
The new military head of the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) has demanded that the New Zealand Government announce now whether their players for the World Cup are going to face travel sanctions.
Land Force Commander Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga took over last week as FRU chairman and announced the union would seek forgiveness from dictator Voreqe Bainimarama for causing him trouble.
Since Bainimarama's democracy ending 2006 coup, New Zealand and Australia have imposed sanctions banning military leaders, their families and members of the regime from entering the country.
Fiji is due to play the first test of the year against the All Blacks ahead of the World Cup.
In a statement to Fiji Government-controlled radio, Tikoitoga now says they will be taking up the "plight" of Fiji players with the International Rugby Board.
He says Fiji needs to know where they stand.
"New Zealand has to tell us now prior to any preparations that we are making," he told Fiji radio.
"We have a lot of supporters of rugby in Fiji that are members of the military forces or families of military personnel.
"We would like to go and support our team in New Zealand.
"People will be able to make plans if we are told now. We would like to send the best players that we have but there are also supporters that make up the rugby public."
Tikoitoga says the game of rugby is bigger than the players and the FRU.
"Even though we will be asking IRB to help out with the players, we would like to appeal for the sake of our supporters as well."
Fiji Broadcasting noted that Fiji netball co-coach Una Rokoura was allowed into New Zealand recently, despite having a brother who is a captain in the Fiji military.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully has previously said the sanctions against Fiji will remain in place until there is evidence of substantial progress toward the return of democracy.
Bainimarama's regime forced the old FRU board out of office and refused to give them F$3 million (NZ$2.1 million) to fund their trip to the World Cup.
Tikoitoga earlier said the past was behind them and they were willing to work closely with the military regime.
"Fiji Rugby Union under the guidance of its new president and of course the new board want government to support FRU and we would do anything that government wants so that we can work with the government. This because we want to work with the government and also we are dealing with a lot of emotions from the people of Fiji."
When the IRB threatened to intervene as the military pressured the FRU, Fiji's rugby unions went through an attempt to elect a democratic board, but still ended up with the land force commander running it.
"I would like to think the FRU has no other alternative but to take government's offer even if it means that some of the members will have to go to satisfy what government wants," Tikoitoga said.
He said he would take charge of World Cup preparations.
"We will have to align ourselves to government's plans and the decisions will be made, even if it means that there will be staff changes," he said.
- Stuff
... As the Fijian government has succeeded in sacking the Fijian Rugby Board by withholding funds needed for their team to attend the RWC unless the board resigned, I can't see them getting much sympathy or support from the IRB, or that the NZ government will change their stance either.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...iji-demands-answers-over-RWC-travel-sanctions
Fiji demands answers over RWC travel sanctions
MICHAEL FIELD Last updated 16:09 12/05/2011
The new military head of the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) has demanded that the New Zealand Government announce now whether their players for the World Cup are going to face travel sanctions.
Land Force Commander Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga took over last week as FRU chairman and announced the union would seek forgiveness from dictator Voreqe Bainimarama for causing him trouble.
Since Bainimarama's democracy ending 2006 coup, New Zealand and Australia have imposed sanctions banning military leaders, their families and members of the regime from entering the country.
Fiji is due to play the first test of the year against the All Blacks ahead of the World Cup.
In a statement to Fiji Government-controlled radio, Tikoitoga now says they will be taking up the "plight" of Fiji players with the International Rugby Board.
He says Fiji needs to know where they stand.
"New Zealand has to tell us now prior to any preparations that we are making," he told Fiji radio.
"We have a lot of supporters of rugby in Fiji that are members of the military forces or families of military personnel.
"We would like to go and support our team in New Zealand.
"People will be able to make plans if we are told now. We would like to send the best players that we have but there are also supporters that make up the rugby public."
Tikoitoga says the game of rugby is bigger than the players and the FRU.
"Even though we will be asking IRB to help out with the players, we would like to appeal for the sake of our supporters as well."
Fiji Broadcasting noted that Fiji netball co-coach Una Rokoura was allowed into New Zealand recently, despite having a brother who is a captain in the Fiji military.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully has previously said the sanctions against Fiji will remain in place until there is evidence of substantial progress toward the return of democracy.
Bainimarama's regime forced the old FRU board out of office and refused to give them F$3 million (NZ$2.1 million) to fund their trip to the World Cup.
Tikoitoga earlier said the past was behind them and they were willing to work closely with the military regime.
"Fiji Rugby Union under the guidance of its new president and of course the new board want government to support FRU and we would do anything that government wants so that we can work with the government. This because we want to work with the government and also we are dealing with a lot of emotions from the people of Fiji."
When the IRB threatened to intervene as the military pressured the FRU, Fiji's rugby unions went through an attempt to elect a democratic board, but still ended up with the land force commander running it.
"I would like to think the FRU has no other alternative but to take government's offer even if it means that some of the members will have to go to satisfy what government wants," Tikoitoga said.
He said he would take charge of World Cup preparations.
"We will have to align ourselves to government's plans and the decisions will be made, even if it means that there will be staff changes," he said.
- Stuff
Last edited by a moderator:
lucky number 7
International
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2010
- Messages
- 5,251
- Country Flag
- Club or Nation
Last edited by a moderator:
