Tabalala died of Rheumatic Heart Disease

The Fiji Rugby Union is now looking at having systems in place to ensure that all rugby players vying for spots in the national teams are tested for conditions like Rheumatic Heart Disease.

This follows the confirmation that Telecom Fiji Warriors tight head prop, Iosefo Bele Tabalala died due to Rheumatic Heart Disease.

Police revealed the cause of death after the post mortem.

Fiji Rugby Union Chief Executive, Radrodro Tabualevu said medical tests were done before the team selection.

However they did not pick up the information that Tabalala had Rheumatic Heart Disease.

He said Tabalala also did not state in his declaration form that he had the heart condition.

Playing at the elite level of sports with a rheumatic heart condition can be fatal.

Tabualevu said they will now look at getting the equipment to detect such cases.

He said this will also assist players who may not know that they are suffering from such health conditions.

This is the second recorded case of a Fiji rugby player dying due to Rheumatic Heart condition.

The other player was the former Under 20 Fiji captain, John Vugakoto.

32-year-old Tabalala failed to wake up on Saturday morning and was rushed to the CWM Hospital but all attempts to revive him failed.

He will be laid to rest this Thursday.

Rheumatic Heart Disease is a chronic heart condition caused by rheumatic fever that can be prevented and controlled.

Rheumatic fever is caused by a preceding strep infection.

Treating strep throat with antibiotics can prevent rheumatic fever.

Regular antibiotics can prevent patients with rheumatic fever from contracting further strep infections and causing progression of heart valve damage.

Acute rheumatic fever primarily affects the heart, joints and central nervous system.