The shadow national team, known as Viwa, has been disqualified from the 38th Fiji Bitter Nawaka 7s tournament due to a lack of proper registration confirmation prior to the event. Organizers noted that while Viwa was registered, there was confusion as they were thought to be the same team that had previously competed in the series.
Despite a strong performance, winning all three of their pool matches, the team was set to face the Sesame team in the elimination rounds but has been replaced by the Vuna Brothers as a result of the disqualification. This decision has also been officially communicated to the Fiji Rugby Union.
This incident is reminiscent of recent controversies within Fiji rugby, such as the disqualification of Bucalevu Secondary School’s Under-17 team due to allegations regarding an unregistered player. These occurrences underscore the critical need for strict compliance with competition rules and clear communication related to team registrations.
The ongoing Nawaka 7s tournament serves as a pivotal reminder for participants to ensure their registrations and necessary permissions are fully in order to prevent similar disqualifications in the future. This challenging situation presents an opportunity for teams to learn and strengthen their adherence to competitive standards, ultimately contributing to a fairer and more robust environment for all involved in the sport.
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