The Fiji Rugby Football Union’s Annual General Meeting has marked the formal handover of governance and operational responsibilities to the newly elected board members.
After a transformative tenure, the FRFU Trustees – Peter Mazey, Jenny Seeto, Sikeli Tuinamuana, Alipate Naiorosui, and Mosese Naivalu have passed on the responsibilities to the newly elected leadership team, signalling an exciting new chapter for Fiji rugby.
FRFU Trustees Chair Peter Mazey says the process now is for the new board to meet and elect the new Chair for Fiji Rugby.
Mazey says they are also very happy to announce that they have made a substantial turnaround of over $3 million in the past year.
He adds this has all gone to pay off all the huge debts that they had and hopefully by the end of the year it will all be taken care of.
Mazey says some of the notable achievements that the outgoing trustees have achieved include a new FRU Constitution which has a modernized framework, ensuring transparency and effective governance in line with global best practices.
He says they also helped Fiji secure a seat on the World Rugby Council which has elevated Fiji’s influence on the global rugby stage, providing a direct voice in the decision-making processes that shape the future of the sport.
He adds there was also a major operational overhaul which was the introduction of a new operational structure, including the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who reports directly to the Board, strengthening accountability and strategic decision-making.
Mazey says they also helped the FRU secure a financial turnaround in 2023 where the FRU achieved a profit of $1.6 million, marking a dramatic turnaround from a loss of $1.5 million in 2022.
He says the outgoing trustees also helped clear the longstanding debts, including the repayment of a World Rugby loan of $2.7 million, positioning the organization for long-term sustainability.
Mazey says to achieve the goals set before them, they had to review, investigate and address issues of the past to enable them to move to a new and bright future.
He says they have been proactive by listening not just to the players, but to the Unions, stakeholders, politicians and critics.
Mazey says the hard work of all involved has laid the groundwork for a bright future for Fiji Rugby, and they are excited to see what the new board will bring to the table.
He says the passion for rugby in Fiji is unmatched, and they are confident that the sport will continue to thrive at all levels.
Meanwhile, the newly elected FRU Board members include Mosese Naivalu who has been elected as the Legal Director, John Sanday and Tevita Tuiloa are the Commercial Directors, Cathy Wong as the Women’s Rugby Director and Koli Sewabu and Conway Beg are the Rugby Directors.
