Fiji's RWC funding threatened by fine

[TRF_Cymro]

A national lottery organised to fund Fiji's participation at the World Cup could instead deepen its financial problems as it faces a fine of F$125,000 (US$82,500) for discounting tickets.

Fiji's Commerce Commission threatened to impose the fine after the Fiji Rugby Union reduced the price of tickets from F$20 (US$11) to F$10 to boost sluggish sales.

The Commission has given the union five days to comply with a series of demands to avoid the fine, which would severely damage its already perilous financial position.

The union is required to advertise in all daily newspapers, offering to repay F$10 to anyone who bought a ticket at the original price.

The lottery, which was drawn last week, carried cash prizes of F$100,000, F$70,000 and F$30,000 - substantial sums in the Pacific nation where wages are low. The Commerce Commission has ordered the union not to pay prizewinners until its instructions have been complied with.

http://www.planetrugby.co.uk/story/0,25883,3818_6632979,00.html​

 

[The_Wol]

Ridiculous.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Well, it is unfair to the people who paid the full price

 

[lynam1104]

it was 1 Fijin dollar(?) not much of a difference.

 

[Teh Mite]

What a load of ********. The RFU will get stung next for handing out freebee tickets.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Well, that's the law. You can't have one rule for one organisation and others for another. A definite shame though.

 

[lynam1104]

But dose that mean i should get my money back on something i bought at full price when it first came out compared to someone who bough it a year later for less?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I think this is different from, for instance, a tv that is on discount after a year. It's a ticket for a match which are all used simultaneously.

 

[Teh Mite]

In that case, easyjet & ryanair should be fined for selling their airline tickets at £1 each at last minute.

 

[nickdnz]

I kind of understand it.

I once paid $250 for bronze seats to a rock concert, however when sales weren't going so well, the reduced the price to $80 for dimond seats. So I got restricted from seeing the bands up close, while a lot of people who paid less than a third of what I paid got to get the best seats. That being said, I can't imagine anyone getting too upset about paying an extra $10 in order to help their national team make it to the RWC.

 

[Charles]

Politics, it's all it is.

 

[Feicarsinn]

It's more about it being a competition than anything I think. The fact is that you stand the same chance of winning as someone who has paid half as much, which would suck.

 

[markshaw]

not the sharpest tools in the shed old Fiji

 

[Gavin]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...iji-still-determined-to-be-at-Rugby-World-Cup

Fiji is determined to send a rugby team to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year despite a deepening financial crisis and political moves in which the military regime is taking greater control of the country's rugby union.
Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) chairman Bill Gavoka quit his post last night, but remains on the board, as the regime the union fires its board and executives before it can get F$3 million (NZ$2 million) to help it take part RWC.
The demand follows a financial crisis and possible scandal over the way the FRU ran a fund raising lottery and is now facing criminal action from authorities.
Gavoka has been replaced by former Fiji Reserve Bank official Rafaele Kasibulu who says the saga will not impact on Fiji's participation in the World Sevens Series and the RWC.
"Our preparation for the World Cup including the IRB sevens series is all in order and we want to assure the rugby public and the players that nothing will stop us from sending our boys to New Zealand," Kasibulu says.
He has written to military appointed Sports Minister Filipe Bole seeking a meeting to discuss the regime's demands on the FRU.
Kasibulu maintains there was nothing wrong with the lottery they ran.
"We were not given the chance to reconcile the tickets and this will be something I will raise in our discussion with the government."
The Fiji Commerce Commission (FCC) chair Mahendra Reddy has said that the lottery was to have raised over $350,000 but that $155,743 is unaccounted for.
Last week FCC and the police raided the union offices and yesterday the FCC released its findings on the lottery saying the permit to sell were breached.
Money raised by the lottery was using for "purposes other than that stated in the lottery permit".
The commission said this included airfare, accommodation, visa application and tickets for Hong Kong 7's for a senior FRU lottery, amounting to $4500.
He billed up another $1106.25 to attend the Scotland 7's and $2884.53 to attend London 7's.
"A separate Westpac account #: XXXXXXXX, called the Mr XXXX Hong Kong tour account was created and payments made on this account," the commission says.
"Cheque number 1286 was written for $8500.00 for this transaction. However, this cheque number is fictitious since the payment was made in cash."
It refers to other payments including dinners using lottery funds.
"Air Fare for Mr. YYY to travel to Auckland, and Wellington. Reason for the visit was not stated and the payment voucher was not authorized either. A total of $1164.00 was paid using cheque number 1175."
The commission said the union breached military decrees by engaging in deceptive or misleading conduct, "unconscionable conduct" and false or misleading representation.
"A question that needs to be answered is where this money is," the commission says.
"These two accounts are the designated account where the funds should be kept.
"This was also confirmed by FRU's law firm, Munro Leys in an email to the Commission on Thursday 6th January, 2011.
"If the funds are not in this account, then serious questions arises as to in which account the funds are or who has taken the money. The only way answers to this could be obtained is to undertake a full audit of all FRU funds," the commission says.

Things still ain't well in Fiji.
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[Seaton]

Which team was it that went to France in 2007 a week early or something, had no money (until some IRB fund or something kicks in) for grub and such, but the locals chipped in to support them?

I don't think this latest 'venture' by the Fiji rugby authorities will see the team not participate though

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Wasn't that Tonga?

 

[Amobokoboko]

Today I saw a headline in the newspaper that the national head coach of Fiji resigned.
Not sure if it has anything to do with this topic but I do hope Fiji sorts out his mess and arrives well prepared in NZ

 

[TRF_Cymro]

More turmoil

Fiji board forced to quit

 

[nickdnz]

Jeez whizz. At this rate the Flying Fijians won't be able to afford the airfares.

 

[LittleGuy]

Another depressing update on this sad and unnessecary situation guys. Looks like Los Teros(Uruguay) might want to get a hold of their travel planners for a trip to New Zealand in September just in case this disaster scenario occurs.

http://http://www.espnscrum.com/worldcup/rugby/story/132921.html