Complicated reservation! Fiji Rugby, Fiji FA drawn into double booking controversy

THE Fiji Rugby Union (FRU)was not informed by the Fiji Sports Council of any existing grounds booking for the HFC Bank Stadium for the month of July.FRU Board chairman John Sanday revealed this yesterday after reports of a double booking with the Fiji Football Association (FFA).The FRU made the booking and paid for the deposit on December 12, 2024, a month after the FFA had booked and paid for the same venue.

FFA had booked the stadium in November 2024 for the Oceania Football Confederation Women’s Nations Cup which is scheduled for July 5-19.“As far as we know when we made the booking, we were told to pay the deposit and we paid, there was nothing else about anybody else or anything, so we just followed proper process.“It came to our attention much later because when the Fiji Rugby Union Board visited the Fiji Football, it was raised that there was a potential for a double booking,” Sanday told this newspaper.



“I checked with management, they weren’t aware that there was a double booking. We were told that when we launched the booking, paid the deposit and it was confirmed.“Much later, we realised that there was a double booking.

”Sanday said the FRU would be open to explore other options if the Fiji FA and the sports council found a solution to the issue“We have made it clear with Fiji Football if they can sort things out with the Fiji Sports Council and we are happy to consider how we can help, not withstanding the fact that all the bookings have been done for Scotland, all the hotel bookings and the ground but you know if worse comes to worse , we will then have to consider other options.“The FRU doesn’t want to be drawn into any controversy that was not our making. We want to try to be a good sport, to be reasonable and just let the Fiji FA and sports council deal with it and whatever position they come up with, we will then find other ways to resolve this.

“We hope good sense will prevail in what is the best interest for Fiji and what is the best interest for sports.”FFA chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf revealed that they have not received any word or plans for discussion from the sports council since the issue surfaced.Questions sent to FSC chief executive Gilbert Vakalalabure were seen but remained unanswered when this edition went to press.

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