The Fiji Rugby Union has disclosed that approximately $3.5 million was distributed to the Flying Fijians’ 33-player roster for their World Cup participation in France last year. This announcement comes in response to former national captain Waisea Nayacalevu’s claims of unpaid bonuses and corruption within the Union.
Nayacalevu revealed in an interview that players had contemplated boycotting their quarter-final match against England due to these issues. He expressed frustration over the empty promises made by the rugby authorities, notably regarding bonus payments.
During their stay in Marseille, Nayacalevu organized a Zoom meeting to address these concerns, warning the Union that failure to pay before the match would result in players refusing to participate. He criticized the union’s history of not fulfilling commitments and mentioned that, despite playing for Fiji for over a decade, players often faced delayed or reduced payments.
In its response, FRU outlined the financial arrangements made for each player, including a sign-on bonus of $30,000 and a daily allowance for their time during the tournament. They stated that the government had guaranteed bonuses based on performance, with arrangements made for all expenses during the World Cup being fully funded.
The FRU acknowledged that a meeting before the quarter-final resulted in pressure to pay bonuses earlier than scheduled to avoid a potential boycott, which could have severe repercussions for Fiji Rugby. They confirmed that all promised payments had been made, totaling around $105,000 per player for the tournament duration.
The Trustees of Fiji Rugby expressed disappointment over Nayacalevu’s allegations, urging him to provide specific evidence of corruption if he possessed any actionable information.