Rio Olympic 7s rugby gold medallists say they will leave it to the Fiji Rugby Union to sort  their pay and contract issue.

They say they just want to focus on their job to return to their winning form that catapulted them to international fame.

Masivesi Dakuwaqa, Kitione Taliga, and Samisoni Viriviri  expressed similar sentiments when they arrived at Nadi International Airport yesterday in response to a row that had broken out between FRU and their former coach Ben Ryan.

They said the row did not affect their performance.

The row started when Ryan tweeted

That the 7s players should be contracted.  But the FRU said it would wait for new coach Gareth Baber  to select his players before contracts could be finalised in the same way it was done to Ryan.

Dakuwaqa said they had a job to do and that was to play.

He said he had been told that the FRU would have all their allowances in their bank account when they got back.

Taliga said he was not affected by the ongoing war of words between Ryan and FRU.

Captain Osea Kolinisau when asked about whether this had affected their game declined to answer saying the questions should be directed to team manager Ropate Kauvesi.

Kauvesi said the situation was “a tricky one.”

“The boys are fighting to get into the team and doing the hard yards but it is not affecting them.”

“I believe FRU are working on it and would resolve the issue soon.”

“They weren’t paid their allowances while in camp and with the Christmas and New Year period coming up, I think the matter would be resolved very soon,” Kauvesi said.

He, however, clarified that the players were given their allowances for being on tour.

Kauvesi said he had heard from the FRU that they were working “very hard” with the Board to resolve this issue and the contract saga.

“The contract solidifies their being selected for Fiji and this allows them to be paid weekly.”

Minister for Youth and Sport, Laisenia Tuitubou, said contracts for the national sevens team would be drawn up by the FRU once they knew what new coach Gareth Baber’s plans were.

“It is the same thing when Ben Ryan was appointed, we consulted him on his plans and the contracts for the players were drawn up,” Mr Tuitubou said.

“Government will wait for Baber to come in as we want to see what his plans are.”

“In the meantime, FRU is working on the contracts and this will be discussed with Baber and then finalised.”

Mr Tuitubou said he had no comments to make regarding what Ryan had said.

“But the contracts would be finalised in the same way we did when Ben Ryan came in.

Edited by Osea Bola

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