Fiji Rugby Union elects new governing body to escape possible exclusion from international rugby
Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) has designated a new governing body to avoid possible exclusion from international rugby. Fiji Rugby Union elected a nine-member board on Saturday, to look after their
national sport matters properly. FRU was under threat of being parted away from the international rugby arena since it had been violating the International Rugby Board (IRB) laws. The FRU board meetings were being conducted without any documented constitution
and IRB had raised serious concerns about it.
The issue started in 2006 when the military took charge of the country and IRB was not happy with the role of military dictatorship. The military dictatorship impeded in board’s matters and
FRU found itself into further hot waters after the news of financial irregularities were widely publicised. Commerce Commission of Fiji (CCF) investigated the issue and it had revealed that FRU was found making illegal money and the lottery system , whivh
the union had introduced, was not transparent.
Earlier Fiji was conditionally allowed to participate in forthcoming Rugby World Cup by IRB after it received assurance that the board members would be elected rather than selected. Fiji
had apprehensions that it would miss the World Cup as IRB had due concerns regarding the military interference in the sport. IRB had been consulting the matter with FRU over last couple of months and finally allowed to participate in the world championship.
FRU’s board members were denied to travel to New Zealand, who were found involved associated with the military. A couple of days ago Fiji’s rugby team was invited to play a test against the
All Blacks of New Zealand to support the earthquake victims of Christchurch. Despite the fact that New Zealand had imposed travel sanctions on the Pacific nation, after military took the charge of Fiji in 2006. Fiji will play a test match on All Blacks’ soil
on July 22, in Dunedin, which has been confirmed by both the nations.
The fundraising amount from the test will also provide Fiji a better chance to field a competitive side for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup as it has been out of action for a while.
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