PNG RL says stability will be maintained despite resignation

Transcript

The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League says arrangements are in place to ensure stability remains, following the sudden resignation of CEO Brad Tassell.

Tassell quit this week, saying he's been the target of a constant and malicious campaign against him, and received death threats against him and his family.

The PNGRFL board accepted Tassell's resignation at an emergency board meeting on Wednesday and Chairman Sandis Tsaka told Koro Vakauta they're sad to see him go.

SANDIS TSAKA: He's given many years of service to the sport and the country and so we respect his decisions and we've moved forward to make interim arrangements within our management within PNGRFL to ensure that we have stability and continuity in the interim while we start the processes to find a new CEO for the PNGRFL.

KORO VAKAUTA: In terms of the issues that led to Mr Tassell's resignation, how long have you and the board been aware of the issues?

ST: Rugby league in Papua New Guinea is the national sport and like any public office in PNG the level of scrutiny and attention public figures are put under is a lot. With the introduction of social media it's largely unregulated in that anybody can get a simcard or a hashtag so anonymity is a vehicle that is used to drive personal grudges or drive social media campaigns to tarnish peoples reputation. It happens in this country all the time and Brad has made his decision and decided to put his family, health and all those issues first so at the board level we respect his judgements.

KV: What he's called a constant and malicious campaign - has this been going on for a while?

ST: It happens to everybody here in this country. You have to live in this country to know how the people in this country react to public office but Brad has done a lot for rugby league and the people of this country, in the four years that he's been CEO, and what is more important to the PNGRFL board is not really to dwell on the past but to continue the good work that Brad and the team have started and to build on that and build rugby league.

KV: What has this resignation done for the day to day operations of the PNGRFL?

ST: In the interim we've got officers within the organisation who have been put in place to ensure there is stability and continuity in our programs. We have consulted all our stakeholders, our partners [and] we have staff throughout the country, within the Hunters program, the Team Kumuls program. It's unfortunate the situation that has led to Brad's resignation but the game is united, the board is united and we are also in consultation with the NRL in Australia and the International Rugby League Federation, who have offered to assist if we need help so over the next few days we will be continuing our programs and seeking the support of all our stakeholders to ensure that we continue with what we've been doing.