19/03/2023
Biased Marist 7's Organisers.
Yesterday @ the Marist 7's the Prataps Nadi team which was to feature in the Fellow Fijian category witnessed firsthand how biased some well known personalities can be. Mr Tikaram showed a picture yesterday that completely was opposite to the man we hear and see over radio and TV. The Prataps Nadi team had played its first game and lost by a margin of 7-0 and was told that they had bowed out of the tournament, where the fellow category had 4 teams .All this 4 teams were the top 4 teams in the fellow category here in Fiji. How can a team just play 1 game and be told they had bowed out of the tournament when you still have 3 other teams and not forgetting the fixtures that stated that round 2 of the games were to take place at 11a.m. these set of games were completely chamged to the organizers preferences only because they needed to cater for other games. MARIST ORGANIZERS sacrificed indo category just to cater for all the other categories. Is that what the indo category means in a rugby nation?? An expandable category??? Such is the mockery of the organistaion of this Tournament. We as a team paid so much in trying to enable the boys to come and play but your treatment and how you tried to specify your reasoning smelt of poor organization and biase, to us we feel that we were cheated and robbed of a good outing at the tournament. You labeled our category as "Exhibition matches". Exhibition matches are free. We "PAID" to participate in the fellow Fijian category and our expectation was at least play 2 matches before the semifinal would be decided, but in our case, NO. We were told after the first game we were out. How can you justify your actions?? Can you please tell us how can a category which has 4 teams playing suddenly have 1 team told after the first game that they have bowed out of the competition. The other teams all continued playing. We were told to play New Caledonia and you told us either you play or no , you still get your entry fees back.By giving us a certain amount to play an international team doesnt give us what we initially paid for and that was to participate in the fellow Fijian category. We paid our fees to play in the category and expected to play the other teams that had registered. What's even more shocking is how Mr Tikaram tried to justify the organizers actions..Mr Tikaram the fellow Fijian brothers across the country who have passion for the sports go through alot to try and reach tournaments and you should know better. You thought you could fool the Prataps Nadi team with your reasoning but you failed to see that we had seen through your bu****it cause we have been playing in tourneys throughout Fiji for 4 years now and we know how our category is run . Being a champion team in our category it is only a wander as to how you could write us off after the first game. A personnel frm the organising group told us we were playing Rosy hearts next, then suddenly you come up with the worst news that we were out and to play New Caledonia in an exhibition match. It was a priviledge to play New Caledonia an international team but it still does not justify your decision in us bowing out of the tournament. This was just a smoke screen to cover your mess up. How do we grow grass roots rugby when you have such leaders around who think it's either their way or the highway. Mr Tikaram the expectation was high on you to right the wrong of the organizers but you turned a blind eye. It only clarifies our thoughts that this was pre planned and we were cheated thus enabling a new winner cause we have been winning our category now in all past tournaments. We have learnt our lesson the hard way and after seeing what has transpired we now have reservations about taking part in your tournament(Marist 7s) ever again cause it does not practically preach what it stands for in supporting grassroots rugby especially for us in the fellow Fijian category. Marist 7s is now history for us and one that we can only talk about now and in future to come as the place we were unfairly treated and cheated on . In saying so the Prataps Nadi Team is a champion team and we will continue to participate in other tourneys and will continue to single out injustice in sports because in this day and age there is no room for such . Marist Organisers hope you will learn a thing or 2 frm this post.
Vinaka.
