The director of the Fiji Rugby Union was dismissed for a few days in her new role, after having aroused controversy with remarks according to which the national women’s team had a “gay problem”.
On Wednesday, the Fiji rugby union said in a statement that she had dismissed the appointment of Laijipa Naulivou as director.
This decision comes as women’s rights defenders criticized “harmful and discriminatory” comments.
In the interview, Naulivou said that she also recommended that the coach be deleted, and that he had asked for a panel to be set up to select the team instead of “a person who practices lesbianism Being up there and the choice of his people “.
For me, it is contrary to ethics and it is not true, “she said, adding that players’ retention and” this gay problem “were also the main challenges faced by European teams rugby.
She added that homosexuality was “a big drawback” when the Fiji women’s team participated in a previous HSBC Sevens tournament.
Naulivou, who had been invited to manage the team three weeks before the tournament, wrote a report after her poor performance in the tournament where she had pleaded for the withdrawal of the coach.
The Fiji women’s rights movement said on Tuesday that it was “dismayed” by Naulivou’s comments.
“The idea that being gay is a” problem “in female rugby is deeply disturbing and perpetuates harmful stereotypes that do not have their place in modern sports or society,” said the executive director of Nalini Singh group.
“Rather than concentrating your efforts on the sexuality of the players, you are doing your job and looking for adequate funding and plan the well-being of rugby players so that they do not have to sleep on benches in front of airports and Browse kilometers from their training, “she added.
Local media previously pointed out that the members of the women’s team had spent one night on benches outside of Sydney airport on the road to the Sevens de Dubai in 2023, while the male team was sleeping in a neighboring hotel. As the disparity between the treatment of the two teams angered fans, the authorities attributed the incident to “bad communication”.
In 2016, the Fiji Rugby Women’s team became the first among the Pacific nations to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games. In 2021, the team won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games. But at the Paris Games last year, they were eliminated in the group phase and arrived last place on the 12 competing teams.
Also at the time, the suggestions of lesbianism were blamed for provoking a flaw in the team.
Naulivou is an eminent figure of the local rugby scene, known to be the first captain of the national women’s team and a defender of the inclusion of women in sport dominated by men.
On Saturday, Naulivou was appointed director of the Fiji Rugby Union after his predecessor resigned for personal reasons. She also tried to resign in the middle of the recent controversy, said the Fiji rugby union.
“Although she submitted her resignation, the Commission determined that a firm position was necessary to strengthen its commitment to comply with professional standards and protect the integrity of Fiji rugby,” he said.
“Our female team and all players can be assured that this will have no impact on their opportunities, their representation and their continuous development as full members of Fiji rugby.”
