Valenitabua refutes claims and will commence defamation proceedings against the Fiji Sun

Fiji Rugby Administrator Simione Valenitabua has refuted claims in the Fiji Sun that he sent the Legal Officer and Human Resources Manager on leave prior to being appointed as Administrator of FRU.

Valenitabua's letter of appointment by the Minister for Justice, Siromi Turaga is dated 27th April 2023.

The Legal Officer concerned was sent on leave on 28th April 2023.

FRU says the HR officer was sent on leave on the 9th of this month.

It says both decisions were made after Valenitabua's appointment, therefore, as Administrator FRU, Valenitabua deemed the Fiji Sun article as defamatory tainting his character, and being false and derogatory.

FRU and its Administrator have consulted their solicitors to commence defamation proceedings against the Fiji Sun and its reporter.

Valenitabua says this character assassination by the Fiji Sun and its reporter belittled him and discredited him in the face of World Rugby.

He assures the Fiji Rugby community that this article by the Fiji Sun is not true and not to believe it.