In an unexpected development, the Fiji Football Association (Fiji FA) has decided in favor of Bua FC, allowing them to take the lead in Pool A of the Premier Division, with Nasinu coming in as the runner-up.
The issue emerged when four players from Bua tested positive for banned substances but were still permitted to participate on the tournament’s opening day. Fiji FA officials had sent an email to Bua’s management regarding the positive tests; however, the email was never opened.
On the third day of the tournament, Fiji FA publicly declared that Nasinu and Lami had secured their spots for the next round. However, later that night, officials reached out to both Lami and Bua to announce a revision in the standings, permitting Bua to advance further in the competition.
Lami’s team manager, Gyan Singh, voiced his frustration over the ruling, urging the Fiji FA to be transparent about the matter. “Why wasn’t Bua penalized? This was merely a case of negligence on the part of Bua’s officials for not reading their email,” Singh remarked.
He emphasized that Bua’s officials were aware that players had been tested and should have checked their emails before finalizing their roster. “It’s simply ignorance,” he added. Singh mentioned that the tournament manager had previously assured them that Bua would face penalties and points would be deducted for fielding players who had tested positive.
“After the third day, Fiji FA announced on their social media that Nasinu and Lami had qualified and even sent us a message. Then later that evening, they reversed their decision. Where does this happen?” he questioned.
In response to the backlash, Fiji FA Operations Manager Anushil Kumar confirmed the decision favoring Bua and attributed it to miscommunication among officials. He stated that the Fiji FA would implement a system to ensure teams receive critical information in hard copy format in the future, rather than relying solely on email communications.