The Fiji Rugby Union has shed light on an internal standoff that occurred just days before the Flying Fijians’ Rugby World Cup quarter-final against England, following allegations of corruption and delayed payments made by former captain Waisea Nayacalevu.
In an official response, FRU is calling on Nayacalevu to provide specific evidence to support his accusations of corruption at the union.
FRU also confirmed that some players, led by Nayacalevu, threatened to boycott the crucial match unless their promised bonuses were paid ahead of time.
The union, under immense pressure, had no choice but to seek intervention from the Fijian government to ensure payments were processed sooner than planned.
Despite the threat, FRU clarified that each player was eventually paid their sign-on fee of $30,000, daily allowances, and bonuses, with players earning around FJD $105,000 for their participation in the World Cup.
The FRU expressed regret over the ordeal but reaffirmed its focus on improving the management of future tournaments while supporting national teams.
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