The Fiji Rugby Union is suspended from the World Rugby Council until all the legal matters are addressed.
fijivillage News understands that this is a suspension from only the World Rugby Council, not World Rugby.
We have been told that FRU can send teams to all World Rugby tournaments, including the HSBC 7s and the Rugby World Cup in France this year.
The High Performance Unit will stay under World Rugby.
There will be no disruption to the 15s and 7s international programmes.
The decision was made by World Rugby late last night.
FRU’s Acting Administrator, Sale Sorovaki says they are currently waiting on World Rugby if they have been suspended and have lost their seat.
Sorovaki also says if they lose their seat and voting right, this means they can still take part in World Rugby sanctioned events.
He further says this means Fiji does not lose out on events like the current HSBC 7s series and the Rugby World Cup later this year.
The Acting Administrator adds they are trying to get things in order on their end to get ready for a Special General Meeting.
fijivillage News has sent questions to World Rugby.
Stay with us for developments.
The Interim Administrator of the Fiji Rugby Football Union Trust Board or FRU, Simione Valenitabua says he estimates to resolve the legal issues faced by the FRU by 31st March 2024.
Valenitabua says if World Rugby, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Fiji Government through the Fiji National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, are kind enough to assist FRU through technical expertise and financial grants, then the FRU can consult extensively nation-wide in a shorter timeframe.
But, he says at the moment if they juggle standing operations with the overhaul then a longer period is needed to legalise and regularise the affairs of the FRU.
When asked on the risk of any bans by World Rugby, Valenitabua says the continued updates to World Rugby and the International Olympic Committee, through their contacts, should be reassuring to World Rugby and in his opinion and belief, mitigates or minimises any risks to FRU, the players and the people of Fiji that love rugby.
He adds Minister for Justice, Siromi Turaga pursuant to powers vested in him by section 13B of the Charitable Trusts Act, has appointed the interim trustees of the FRU.
When asked on when the Special General Meeting will be held, Valenitabua says he is not sure at the moment but will provide guidance to unions and affiliates via regular updates.
The Minister for Justice moved in last month to protect the assets and operations of the FRU, appoint interim trustees of the FRU to take it to a Special General Meeting and appoint an interim administrator to act on behalf of the interim trustees. Turaga confirms that as Minister for Justice, he exercised his powers under the Charitable Trusts Act in his meeting with the board of directors of the FRU.
He says the FRU cannot operate as a charitable trust as it is being run by a board using articles of association of the FRU Company.
Turaga says this is illegal for charitable trusts.
Following a meeting with the FRU board of directors, Turaga says those in attendance have acknowledged by consensus to resign voluntarily while absent directors resigned by flying minute.
He says there is no link between the Fiji Rugby Football Union Trust Board (the charitable trust) and the Fiji Rugby Union Pte Limited (the company limited by guarantees) for the governing instrument of one to apply to the other, and vice-versa.
Turaga further says the 2018 constitution being used by the FRU board to make appointments to run its affairs, set the AGM, call for nominations, defend appeals by Suva, Naitasiri and Namosi, and operate thus far is not registered under the Charitable Trust Act, nor at the Registry of Titles, and was therefore illegal.
He says this is due to the fact that it was unsigned and undated by the trustees, unaccompanied by the minutes of the meeting of the AGM or Special General Meeting of the FRU wherein the constitution was adopted, not witnessed, signed and stamped by any Commissioner of Oaths or solicitor, and not endorsed, signed and stamped by the Registrar of Titles at the time it was lodged for registration.
The Minister for Justice says in light of these anomalies, he informed the FRU board that under the laws of Fiji, the FRU will need to regularise and legalise its status as a charitable trust to be consistent with the provisions of the Charitable Trusts Act, until and unless the status of the FRU as a charitable body is regularised, the FRU AGM cannot be convened, unions and members of the FRU will have to be notified of the new AGM date by a new board of trustees in due course.
