Fiji's World Cup plans up in smoke

Fiji's World Cup plans up in smoke

Fox Sports, July 02, 2007

More accusations of marijuana use have emerged in the Fiji rugby team but this time it is officials rather than players in the firing line.

Two players say the team bus was kept waiting before the match against Australia in Perth on June 9 while the two officials smoked the drug at their hotel.

Neither player wanted to be identified and the names of the team officials were not revealed.

"Many will not comment on it because we all know how things work, like being victimised if we speak out, but it is not good when people are investing big money into this team," one of the players said.

"We got really tired of waiting and so the captain (Alivereti Doviverata) said for us to go, and not wait for them."

Allegations against the officials were first aired in The Fiji Times newspaper on Saturday, when it was alleged the two officials had been smoking marijuana in a team camp at Sigatoka ahead of the June 23 match against Australia A in Suva.

Police had been called after the pair partied into the early hours of Thursday.

"We've received several reports and are carrying out our own investigations," Fiji Rugby Union chief executive Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua said. "We will deal with the matter and those allegedly involved, should the allegations turn out to be true. Until that time, of course, we cannot say anything further."

Star winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca was suspended for three months in June for testing positive for marijuana while playing for his French club Agen. The penalty may see him miss the World Cup.

Players Sireli Naqelevuki, Vilimoni Delasau and Viliame Satala have also been suspended in recent years for testing positive for marijuana.

Agence France-Presse

well when it comes to drugs in sport, in the west we know there is no smoke without fire.
why can't internationals get it into their heads ? You are being watched all the time.

just bloddy dumb

Fiji official denies drug claims

July 04, 2007

THE manager of the Fiji rugby team denied allegations that officials had smoked marijuana before a match against Australia in Perth.

"There is no truth at all in the allegation that the bus in Perth was delayed because someone was smoking cannabis," said team manager Pio Bosco Tikoisuva.

"That is a serious accusation with no basis of fact at all."

Two players said Sunday the team was kept waiting on the bus before the match against the Wallabies in Perth on June 9 while the two officials smoked the illegal drug at their hotel.

Neither of the players wanted to be identified and the names of the team officials were not revealed.

Tikoisuva said he had stopped the bus leaving because one of the players appeared to be missing.

"I went back inside the hotel with two other officials to look for the absent player, who in the end turned up and the bus departed on time," he said.

The Fiji Rugby Union is investigating a separate incident last month when police were called after two officials partied into the the small hours during a team camp in Sigatoka before Fiji played Australia A in Suva.

Agence France-Presse

:verysad: :verysad:

Fiji rugby officials to be drug tested: report

Saturday, July 7, 2007

The Fiji Rugby Union will compel national team officials to take drug tests after allegations emerged this week that some team support staff had smoked cannabis, the Fiji Times newspaper reported.

An allegation that team officials had been seen smoking cannabis at a national training camp at Sigatoka were followed by more serious reports that unnamed officials had smoked marijuana prior to Fiji's Test against Australia in Perth last month.

Reports claimed the Fiji team bus had been delayed leaving the team's hotel for the match venue because some officials were smoking cannabis.

Those reports were dismissed by team management.

The Fiji union moved on Friday to address drug concerns by asking 15 team officials in line to attend this year's World Cup in France to sign agreements to be drug tested.

Any official who was found to have used cannabis would be fired, union chief executive Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua told the Times.

"The officials will undergo tests and if they test positive their services will be terminated," Tavanavanua said.

"The officials, who have been nominated for the World Cup have signed a nomination form which has to ratified by the board before the official's endorsement is confirmed.

"The forms have already been signed but will not go the board for ratification until the test results are in when a final decision will be made."

Tavanavanua said official drug tests were the best way to deal with allegations which had tarnished Fiji rugby.

"I think this process has been long overdue and should have done long time ago," he said.

"What happened lately and all allegations we have regarding the team officials has brought this on."

Fiji team manager Pio Bosco Tikoisuva said he was confident team officials would be cleared.

"If we believe that the way forward is to be open and transparent, then yes I would have officials, including myself, take one, especially at this time when there is great media coverage on the issue," Tikoisuva said.

APP