New Zealand have banned two members of the Fiji Sevens team from competing at the World Series tournament in Wellington next month because of travel sanctions it imposes on Fiji's military regime.
Mosese Saunivanua and Emosi Mulevoro are both officers in the Fiji navy and are covered by the sanctions, which prevent members of the Fiji military or their relatives traveling to New Zealand.
New Zealand has imposed sanctions on Fiji since Commodore Frank Bainimarama seized power in a 2006 coup.
The Wellington leg of the tournament on February 1-2 is the fourth round of the HSBC World Sevens Series.
The All Blacks Sevens lead the world series with 60 points after three rounds, ahead of France (46) and Fiji (44).
Comments
leebok says...
or is it because they turned NZ down and decided to play for Fiji instead!
Posted 19:58 29th January 2013
Lasutaka says...
Its been 6 years since the NZ govt have stood their ground on their sports sanction against Fiji.Commendable,but has it changed the Fiji govt in anyway?NO!Will the sanction force Frank off his perch in the new future?NO!i sincerely hope that the NZ govt opens it eyes and realise that these sanctions are just pointless!!
Posted 05:57 27th January 2013
side_stepper says...
The Fiji team management never applied for their visas so how can NZ reject what they didn't receive?
Posted 02:47 26th January 2013
ShamanSheep says...
@BlackMoses
OK fine, you're not interested. The very fact that there is an article on this website titled 'Fiji duo banned by NZ' proves that rugby and politics sometimes mix. If you just want to stick to rugby then why are you bothering to comment on this article? (you are allowed to respond to questions btw - they're not rhetorical).
You're being incredibly patronising and at the same time, accusing me of the same! If ignorance is your thing then go and bury your head in the sand, if you turn the radio up loud enough you might still be able to hear the 7s commentary.
Posted 15:13 25th January 2013
BlackMoses says...
@Shaman Sheep -
I thought this website was dedicated to rugby not politics!
Can we please stick to rugby! Leave the politics to the politicians.
You can get down off your podium now, Sir - you've made your point, thank you.
Posted 11:06 25th January 2013
ShamanSheep says...
@BlackMoses
The fact is that Fiji doesn't have good relations with NZ or Australia. The former Fijian PM never appealed to the US for military assistance, hence why the US is not involved in the situation, being thousands of miles away. Fiji and rugby are way down on their list of priorities. Sure everybody wants to just watch rugby; sure you live in Fiji and don't care who your PM or president is. Unfortunately rugby is not distinct from life, it is affected by other things.
Ignoring this is just silly - if you want to bury your head in the sand don't attack someone just because they have an opinion. If you think it's ill informed (the political situation in Fiji is clearly not a simple one), then say why. You're current argument is 'I live in Fiji and I don't care'. If that's the case then why make the point about the US not banning players in military?
Posted 13:25 24th January 2013
BlackMoses says...
FYI everyone = FRU never applied for visas nor intended to take these 2 players to Wellington. They are backup for Las Vegas in case of injuries.
Guess what? The US doesn't ban Fiji players who are in the military!
Most fans here in Fiji don't care a fig about who the prime rib roast minister is.
We just wanna watch rugby.
Please spare us the political commentary...we live here!
Posted 12:03 24th January 2013
ShamanSheep says...
@rugby_rockstar
Couldn't agree more - the 74 tour was great for the players but looking at recent interviews it doesn't look like too many have reconsidered their actions. John Taylor never gets much credit for opting out.
Posted 10:00 24th January 2013
ferdie says...
The same will apply for Australia - they have the same sanctions in place since Dec 2006. Of course the Fijians are fully aware of this, naming these players is therefore simply 'stirring'.
Posted 02:24 24th January 2013
APV1 says...
It's a shame when politics interferes with Rugby. It's understandable and I appreciate NZ's stance, but it's still a shame.
Posted 11:57 23rd January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
This old chestnut comes up at least once every year. This always seems like a tiny little problem on a tiny little island, but then again, Haiti is a tiny little island too, and look what happened /is happening there because nobody cares. Is it right to just turn a blind eye to these tiny countries?
I watched this film on Ernest Hemmingway and Martha Gellhorn the other day and the first third of the movie is about their involvment in the Spanish Civil War against Franco's facists. The tragedy was how none of the powers in Europe or the States were ready to fight for democracy and my conclusions are that it emboldened Hitler to think he could create his third reich and get away with it as well.
NZ's stand is a small one, but at least it tells that slime bag Frank Bainimarama that a western country is on his case. It's a shame more aren't. Look at the death toll that occured because Gadaffi and Hussein were left in power for so long.
I used to support the 1974 lions tour to SA but the older I get the more world news and recent history tells me that these things can help keep oppressors in power. Becasue you are condoning his actions. Bainimarama was not elected by the Fijian people, he took it by force.
Posted 10:25 23rd January 2013