Transcript
There have been two rounds of the Sevens World Series so far and it was after the most recent tournament in Cape Town that Mr Ryan tweeted:
"A fantastic effort by Fiji at the Cape Town sevens...FRU - please start paying these amazing men. No one contracted again."
His comments were greeted with disapproval by the Fiji Rugby Union, the FRU releasing a statement saying they were disappointed in his constant remarks about the team. The CEO John O'Connor accused Mr Ryan of finding it difficult to move on.But the Opposition National Federation Party President Tupou Draunidalo says the union shouldn't shoot the messenger. She says Fiji appears to be the only country in the world which wins Olympic gold, then fails to secure any commercial benefit for the players.
"It's just unbelievable to us that there are reports that they are getting $FJ50 a day when they are in training and $FJ100 a day allowance while they are out at tournaments. "That's just shocking in the context of an alleged $FJ40m sponsorship from a telecommunications company."
Ms Draunidalo says the FRU should explain what is happening to their sponsorship money. The union admitted the employment contracts of the team had expired but said they were still getting relevant allowances. But Ms Draunidalo says the players are paid a disgraceful amount compared to their New Zealand counterparts. New Zealand Rugby's latest collective agreement pays a minimum retainer of $NZ40,000. Ms Draunidalo says the team deserves better as it has boosted morale in tough times, particularly with Olympic victory following the devastation of Cyclone Winston.
"The poverty, the strife, the conflict that is going here and then Winston totally demoralised the nation and this sport is the thing that unifies people, that doesn't care for race or any of those issues."
Interim-coach Naca Cawanibuka says his players are focused on improving their onfield performance despite the public outcry. He has been at the helm during the opening rounds with newly signed Gareth Baber due to arrive in Fiji in January. Mr Cawanibuka says players are hoping the situation can be resolved off the field.
"In terms of contracts and all those other things, it's things for people in the administration to work that out and those who work at sponsorship and all these things. You know, these players have welfare to look after and for us, we are hoping that it can be sorted out. For me I will leave it at that because it is a sensitive issue. It's something that I wouldn't want to deal with and it is something that other people in the office can deal with."
The Opposition Sodelpa Party General Secretary Adi Litia Qionibaravi is not surprised.
"They can say that, that they are trying to concentrate on the field, but they are all human. They are thinking of their families' welfare. They are all young men. They have children, they have wives and families to maintain."
Sodelpa recommends that all players be on contracts of $FJ30,000 per year. Efforts to contact the FRU have been in vain. Adi Litia says they are stalling.
"All they are saying is that they will have to wait for the new sevens coach. The coach will sort of decide how much to pay and perhaps when to pay. In the meanwhile the boys have their families to feed and Christmas is at hand. There just isn't enough consideration to the boys' welfare."
Public sentiment also seems to be on the side of the players, with social media posts almost entirely criticising the FRU's stance.
