Serevi speaks

Fiji Times - Friday, April 04, 2008 8:05 AM

FORMER national sevens coach Waisale Serevi has broken his silence on allegations he used money intended for the Fiji Rugby Union, saying the money was contained in a red envelope with his name on it.

He said even though the money was intended for him, he returned the $US1000 ($F1517) to the Fiji Rugby Union when they raised the matter with him last year.

He said he resigned after the FRU continued to raise the issue with him.

Serevi, who is regarded as the greatest sevens player in the world, said he returned the money to FRU chief executive Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua.

Speaking to Times Sport from Taiwan before departing for Japan yesterday, Serevi said allegations levelled against him were baseless.

"I didn't misuse the so-called funds FRU is referring to during the Hong Kong 7s last year," he said. "In return for being billeted free-of-charge at the Shangri-La in Hong Kong, we were required to do promotional tours and that was in the form of rugby clinics in schools. There was no monetary payment on this but it was at these clinics, I was personally given a red envelope with my name printed on it by a Hong Kong man thanking me for my achievements and he wished me luck for the tournament.

"The envelope contained $US1000 ($F1517) and it's this money which the FRU have been querying, and not $10,000 or $30,000 which they're speculating.

"After repeated queries by Ratu Timoci, I took the money to FRU and gave it back to him. I did not benefit from this promotional tour but FRU did as the team stayed at the Shangri-La Hotel during the 2007 Hong Kong 7s. I resigned on my own accord after this money was continuously queried by FRU."

According to the fijivillage website, Serevi was asked to resign over a cheque presented by a tourism company that had asked him to conduct promotional work for them. The FRU said in a statement that Serevi resigned after meeting directors in July last year over a "serious work related" matter.

When approached to comment, former FRU operations manager Jese Sikivou confirmed there was no cash involved with Shangri-La. He said he recommended to Serevi and senior players that the squad go to Shangri-La in Hong Kong a few days early to acclimatise, recover from jet lag, focus on the environment and prepare for the tournament. He said the deal with Shangri-La was that the hotel would provide accommodation, meals and other ancillary facilities in exchange for promotional activities for the hotel and coaching clinics for the children. There was no cash involved, he said. "When management approved the team travel to Hong Kong earlier than planned to participate in Shangri La's promotional program, I spoke to Waisale about it," Mr Sikivou said.

"At that time he told me he may be involved in other activities apart from official sanctioned activities. I advised him that I had informed Shangri-La that FRU approved promotional activities on one condition the promotional activities scheduled by Shangri-La would not interfere with the team's training and preparatory activities.

"I was given this assurance by Shangri-La in Fiji. Subsequently I advised Waisale and he assured me that if he was going to participate in other activities, it would not affect the team negatively or contravene FRU's directive." Mr Sikivou said he had been wary about getting involved in the controversy because he was sacked by the FRU chief executive Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua in June last year. He said he was yet to be given a termination letter.

Mr Sikivou, who did not accompany the team to Hong Kong last year, said he only learnt after the team returned that there might have been some form of payment "and much later from Waisale that he had been called on the carpet by the CEO".

"Waisale did not want to debate the point of being given the honourarium for conducting training clinics and I understand from him that he had given the money in question, $US1000 back to the CEO," he said. "If you are asking about the misuse of funds, the only case, in this particular instance of which I am aware and was responsible for handling as manager operations, was the misappropriation of meal funds allocated for the use of a junior official by a senior official, specifically not Waisale. Until my termination from FRU, as far as I know the case had not been resolved.

"But I understand from Waisale and some of senior players this case of misuse of funds may have been largely responsible for the breakdown in team discipline for London and Edinburgh, the last leg of the IRB sevens series last year.

Yesterday, the Fiji Rugby Union declined to comment. But it did say: "There is a concerted campaign from many quarters to recruit Serevi back into the FRU whether as a coach or player. The FRU respects those views. Suggestions have been made that the FRU has a personal grudge against Serevi. These suggestions have no basis.

"It was agreed by both parties at the time that Serevi would have no further involvement with Fiji rugby in the near future and that the particulars of the matter would not be disclosed publicly."