The leaders of 15 netball associations in Fiji have convened to demand a Special General Meeting (SGM) for Netball Fiji (NF), scheduled for March 29. They have expressed serious concerns about the current executive committee’s underperformance and have filed a motion of no confidence against NF president RubyAnn Sorovaki and her team.
The call for an interim committee to replace the current executive has been laid out in a letter citing numerous governance failures. The 12 grounds for the motion include a lack of good governance, poor professional conduct among NF leaders, inadequate financial transparency, and the mismanagement of the Fiji Pearls, the national netball team.
The poor performance of the Fiji Pearls, now ranked 16th globally by World Netball, is also a focal point. This drop in ranking is linked to the team’s inability to qualify for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and is attributed to a lack of strategic planning and high-performance initiatives. The dissatisfaction among the team’s supporters is growing, reflecting on the need for new planning and direction.
Furthermore, the motion also points to a decline in sponsorship due to poor performances, impacting investment in grassroots development. The lack of structured programs for young players and insufficient training for local coaches and umpires compound these issues, signaling a critical need for reforms.
In response, Netball Fiji has acknowledged the motion and affirmed its commitment to transparency and good governance. They have stated that all matters will be handled with fairness, aiming to unify the netball community and enhance the sport in Fiji.
Key stakeholders view this SGM as an opportunity to rejuvenate netball in Fiji, emphasizing collaboration and constructive dialogue as essential components for reform. If approached positively, this moment could lead to a stronger governance structure, revitalizing both the leadership and the grassroots development of the sport.
Overall, the future of netball in Fiji holds promise as associations band together to advocate for change, aiming for both accountability in leadership and a renewed drive for success on the international stage.
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