Your Window To Fiji And Beyond.

Illustration of Netball Family Mourns Loss of Bogidrau

Netball Community Mourns the Loss of a Visionary Leader

Spread the love

The netball community in Fiji and across the Oceania region is grieving the sudden passing of Wainikiti Naivalulevu Waqa Bogidrau, a vital leader and respected administrator in the sport. At 56 years old, Bogidrau served as the president of Oceania Netball and as a World Netball Regional Director at the time of her death, which occurred on Tuesday. In addition to her roles in netball, she was the acting General Manager of Human Resources at the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF).

Tributes and condolences have flooded in from around the world, including heartfelt messages from family, friends, and various netball organizations, particularly World Netball (WN). Her dedication to netball spanned over two decades, highlighted by her presidency at Netball Fiji from 2010 to 2020. In 2019, she was elected president of Oceania Netball during their Annual General Meeting and joined the World Netball Board as the Director for the Oceania region.

World Netball expressed deep sorrow upon hearing of her passing, lauding Bogidrau as an inspirational figure who left an indelible mark on the sport. Her passion for netball, which was evident throughout her life—both as a player and an administrator—has significantly shaped the development of the game within Fiji and the broader Oceania region.

Former Suva Netball Association president Vasiti Vugakoto praised Bogidrau’s visionary leadership, noting her instrumental role in opening funding opportunities for the sport. She was pivotal in securing Fiji’s hosting rights for the Netball World Youth Cup in 2021, a major event unfortunately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bogidrau was also the founder of the “Friends of Netball” initiative that helped raise funds for the national team’s international campaigns.

Netball Fiji President RubyAnn Sorovaki acknowledged Bogidrau’s extraordinary contributions to the sport and conveyed condolences to her family during this challenging time. Other netball organizations, including Netball South Africa and the Tonga Netball Association, shared their sorrow and memories of inquiry, reflecting the profound impact Bogidrau had within the netball community.

Bogidrau will be laid to rest next Friday, survived by her daughter, who shares her name. As we remember the immense contributions she made to netball, her legacy serves as a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have on their community and sport. Her story may inspire future leaders in sports administration to emulate her commitment and passion, fostering a positive environment for sports development across the globe.


Comments

Leave a comment

Latest News

Search the website