The Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) firmly denies claims of corruption made by former Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu over payment promises during the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Nayacalevu revealed that the players had threatened to boycott their Rugby World Cup quarter-final match against England over unpaid bonuses.
“We weren’t going to play,” he stated, claiming ongoing corruption within the Fiji Rugby Union and accusing the organisation of failing to honor promises made to the players.
He and several senior squad members reportedly organised a Zoom call with FRU officials, demanding payment of their bonuses or they would refuse to play.
In response, the FRU said: “Our concern is the serious accusations of corruption at Fiji Rugby. He should have been asked to specify exactly what he means by this statement. Does he know of any specific cases of corruption? If so, please lay out the evidence for all to examine.”
The FRU provided details about the payments made to players during the tournament.
“After negotiations, it was agreed that each Flying Fijian squad member (33 players) would receive a sign-on fee of $30,000 and an allowance of $500 per day from 16 July to 15 October 2023 (91 days). With Government backing, bonuses were offered at that time of $30,000 for winning the quarter-final, $40,000 for winning the semi-final and $50,000 for winning the final.”
The FRU acknowledged the Zoom call but highlighted the financial strain caused by the players’ demands, leading to government intervention to secure the early payment.
“We took this threat seriously and realised the pressure this put on Fiji Rugby’s cash flows. We had no option but to approach the Prime Minister for Government assistance to pay the bonus, much earlier than planned,” the FRU statement read.
The union refuted Nayacalevu’s claims that the players had been left unpaid for long periods, stating, “The bonus was not only promised but was paid. The sign-on fee of $30,000 has been paid. The $500 daily allowance has been paid. In total, each player in the squad for the duration of the camp and RWC received around $105,000 for playing in the World Cup.”
The FRU Trust, which took over leadership just months before the World Cup, said that their focus is on future competitions and improvements: “We have learned from the past and are working hard to achieve continuous improvements in the management and performance of our teams.”
