The Fijiana team huddle during the USA Sevens in Colorado. Photo: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby
A former Fijiana women's rugby team coach and a former player have called on the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) to have a code of conduct in place that addresses same-sex relationships.
The call comes as the FRU revealed last week that same-sex relationships in the national women's team are a reality within the Fijiana set-up.
The coach, who spoke on the condition of anonymity with RNZ Pacific, said most players were "straight" when they took up rugby.
However, "influence from those in such relationships within their rugby circles and the national teams" changed other members of the team.
"I would call on the FRU to take action and put in place a code of ethics that would ensure players know where they need to have their limit as partners, and where they need to be professionals as players," the coach said.
"It is a reality and some of the senior players in the teams are doing it, and there are very influential."
A former senior player, who spoke with The Fiji Times, said awareness and education on lesbian women or same-sex relationships in rugby need to be done by the FRU and rugby stakeholders.
The revelations come in the wake of the sacking of FRU board member Laijipa Naulivou, two days after she revealed in a media interview that she did not approve of same-sex relationships in the women's game.
FRU board chairman John Sanday told the media when he announced Naulivou's sacking that the union did not condone such statements, as under the World Rugby legislation, rugby is a sport for all.
Sanday has also been approached for a response, and while he has said he will reply to questions sent to him, none had been received yet.
Drawing the line
A former player told The Fiji Times the problem with national players lay in their ignorance of knowing when and where to draw the line between personal lives and professional rugby careers.
"Rugby is a game for all, we respect all and its diversity," she said.
"However, it has come to a point where I feel it affects the way we play.
"Past coaches have tried to neutralise it by constantly reminding us of the purpose we were there for but somehow, it's gotten worse.
"Most of the stories, posts on social media are true, the drama that comes with it and we are women, it affects the game. I feel there is no control over it like before because players feel entitled to do what they want and the FRU or whoever is hesitant or not at all, touching on that topic.
"FRU needs to unveil the elephant in the room and address it."
The former player said while other national teams like Australia and New Zealand accept same sex-relationships. players knew their limits, so that does not affect their professinalism in the game.
She said that Rugby House should start looking for ways to encourage more professionalism from players.
The former coach who spoke with RNZ Pacific said they had raised the issues in the past with the FRU, through reports and had also taken disciplinary action against players involved, especially when they allowed their relationships to affect other players and the team.
He said at times, the team management, was questioned by players who were in same sex-relationships, why their partners were not playing and why others were selected ahead of them.
"That had a detrimental effect on the players and the team in general," the coach said.
He said the FRU should stand up and be counted, calling on the new Board and FRU management not to turn a blind eye to the issue.
The former coach said Fiji, like other Pacific Island nations, is still deeply rooted in religious beliefs and tradition, thus the need to ensure there is a code of ethics in place that can at least manage such situations.
"All it needs is for players to understand that when they are called in to represent Fiji they have to abide by the standards laid out," he said.
"Their personal lives and choices should not affect how they perform as professional players and certainly must not affect the team."
