Former Flying Fijians captain, Waisea Nayacalevu says he has decided to speak out about the way the Fiji rugby players have been treated by the Fiji Rugby Union in relation to delayed pay issues and promises not being kept because he is thinking of all the players that have been affected and also for the future of all Fijian rugby players.
While speaking in a facebook discussion with a Lesi Vanuavou, Nayacalevu and senior player, Semi Radradra shared how the coaches and senior players have had to use their own money because the credit card given by the FRU to the Manager on tour had no money.
The senior players have had to pay for the meals of the local players and the coaches even had to pay for the laundry.
Nayacalevu and Radradra also say the players from the 2019 World Cup were only paid 50 percent of what they were promised, and that is the reason why they pushed for the pay and bonuses to be paid before they played England in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter final.
This even resulted in Nayacalevu making it clear to the FRU for the promised money to be paid or the players would boycott the quarter final.
While responding to the Fiji Rugby Union statement that the players have been paid, Nayacalevu, Radradra and senior player, Lepani Botia have said today that they have not received the $105,000 payment per player from the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Nayacalevu also says he had also asked to have zoom meetings with the FRU Interim Chair, Peter Mazey however Mazey did not attend any of the sessions.
He says they as players are putting their bodies on the line for Fiji, and the debts of the FRU is not their problem.
Nayacalevu and Botia say they know the sponsors and World Rugby provides funding to the FRU, and they are asking why this is not being utilised to make payments to the players and coaches on time.
We have been trying to get the FRU.
On issues that have been raised by Waisea Nayacalevu and other players regarding payments, Mazey says the Trustees have engaged an independent Accounting Auditor to review all payments.
