Samoa is on the brink of being suspended by rugby’s world governing body, local media is reporting.
It comes after the Samoan government announced on Wednesday it was withdrawing support of Lakapi Samoa due to “unresolved internal issues and division” at the union.
According to Samoa Observer, World Rugby has given the Samoan government until Friday “to accept a proposed review of its decision to withdraw recognition and financial support from Lakapi Samoa”.
“Failure to accept the review or respond by the deadline could result in Samoa being suspended from international rugby for four years,” the news outlet reported.
It added the development follows a meeting between Samoa Rugby Union and World Rugby representatives on Thursday.
RNZ Pacific has contacted World Rugby and Lakapi Samoa for comment.
Samoa’s Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Schmidt revealed in March 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 February, La’auli expressed dissatisfaction at the status of the game in Samoa, saying at the time the sport had been “politicised”.
“We’re coming in to clear out all the politicians inside our rugby union,” he said at the time.
“At this stage, our rugby is very impoverished … we are in the level that Samoa had never been before, because of what? Because of management.”
In June, World Rugby formally appointed Lakapi Samoa chairman Afioga Namulauuli Papali’i as Samoa’s representative on the World Rugby Council.
“The appointment reflects World Rugby’s recognition of Lakapi Samoa’s constitutional processes and reinforces Samoa’s continued place at the highest level of international rugby governance.”
