The President of the Fiji Football Association Rajesh Patel has made it clear that the Fiji FA will not ask any person to step down nor will it terminate or suspend an employment based on media reports and allegations alone.
Patel has made this clear after allegations were made against Fiji Football Coach Christophe Gamel in a complaint filed by Ba Football Association and other allegations levelled against Gamel in the Fiji Sun.
In a statement released today, Patel says on 16th January this year, nine players were found positive of drug use.
Patel says Gamel discussed these results with the players and made it clear that drugs are not tolerated by the Fiji FA and FIFA.
These players were suspended.
The Fiji FA President says that on the 17th of January this year, the Ba Football Association sent an email complaining that Under 23 players namely, Amena Bolaitamana, Kalaveti Sivoi, Kini Madigi and Simione Nabenu were ill-treated (verbal abuse and slapped on the head numerous times) by National Coach, Christophe Gamel.
Patel says Ba FA requested that until this issue is resolved, there should not be any reprimand or sanction against the Ba players concerned.
Rajesh Patel stresses that Fiji FA and FIFA policy requires immediate suspension if players are found positive after a drug test. He says Fiji FA cannot hold off on reprimand or sanction based on unrelated allegations.
The Fiji FA President also confirms that Ba FA was informed on the 21st of this month that an internal investigation has commenced into the allegations of ill-treatment.
Patel says as part of this, Christophe Gamel has been interviewed and he has denied assaulting or abusing any players.
The Fiji FA President says that the players named through media or written complaint are invited to make a formal statement or to go to the Ba Soccer Academy to be interviewed as part of the investigation.
Patel says a notice will be sent to them.
He says once the Fiji FA has obtained all the relevant statements and evidence, a report will be prepared.
Patel says this will be handed to the Chairman of the Ethics Committee who will make an assessment and decide the next step.
In the meantime, the Fiji Football Association invites any youth, woman or other footballers under Fiji FA to make a formal complaint to them so it can be properly investigated.
Patel says the Fiji FA takes ill-treatment of any of its players, officials or employees, and drug abuse very seriously and will impose appropriate sanctions against anyone found guilty.
We have contacted Ba Football President Rishi Kumar.
He is yet to decide on whether he will say anything regarding the Fiji FA President’s statement.
Christophe Gamel says he will not comment and referred everything to the Fiji FA statement.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
