Samoa’s opposition leader Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi says the country faces suspension by World Rugby today because of “a dirty political move” by the government.
Tuilaepa’s spoke to RNZ Pacific after the government announced that it was pulling its support of Lakapi Samoa due to “unresolved internal issues and division” at the national rugby union.
“The government does not provide the Samoa Rugby Union with any financial assistance, there are no internal issues, it’s political madness on the part of the prime minister, ” Tuilaepa, who is a former Samoan PM and the leader of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), said.
RNZ Pacific understands World Rugby has given the Samoan government until Friday to accept a review of its decision to withdraw recognition and financial support of the rugby union.
Failure to accept the review or respond by the deadline could result in Samoa being suspended from international rugby for four years, according to Samoa Observer.
It added that the development follows a meeting between the Lakapi Samoa and World Rugby representatives on Thursday.
RNZ Pacific has contacted World Rugby, Lakapi Samoa and the Samoan government’s press secretariat for a response to Tuilaepa’s comments.
A World Rugby spokesperson said: “We are in active and constructive dialogue with all parties and remain focused on a positive resolution.”
In February, Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt said the sport had been “politicised” and the status of the game in Samoa was poor.
Manu Samoa
‘World Rugby should not bend’
Tuilaepa, who stepped down as chairman of Lakapi Samoa in March, told RNZ Pacific he was not interested in whether the country faced suspension from international rugby.
“I was chairman (of Lakapi Samoa). I’ve done all that is possible for the good of rugby. If the new government comes in and doesn’t support it, that’s it,” the former long-time prime minister said.
“I am not worried (about Samoa being suspended), if World Rugby wants to do that, that is the proper thing to do. Our people chose the government and therefore if our people suffer, that is what our country wants.
“World Rugby should not bend to a country where its leadership is so stupid it becomes involved in political decisions that are hurtful to the young people of our country,” he said.
Tuilaepa added: “If the majority of Samoans end up regretting that young rugby players are banned at a world level, they should go and talk to the prime minister they voted for.”
In February, Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Schmidt said the sport had been “politicised” and the status of the game in Samoa was poor.
“At this stage, our rugby is very impoverished … we are at a level that Samoa has never been before, because of what? Because of management,” Laauli said.
“We’re coming in to clear out all the politicians inside our rugby union,” he said at the time.
Tuilaepa stepped down as chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union a month later after his political stand-off with La’auli threatened to stall a new funding programme for the Pacific’s three top rugby unions.
Laauli had refused to sign any new agreement with the Fijian and Tongan rugby unions until Tuilaepa and his board resigned and made way for new appointments.
The prime minister added that his government would set up a rival union to govern the sport in the country, if the entire Lakapi Samoa board did not resign.
In June, World Rugby formally appointed Lakapi Samoa’s new chairman Afioga Namulauuli Papali’i as Samoa’s representative on the World Rugby Council.
