The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) is keeping a close eye on potential plans by World Rugby to exclude Fiji from a proposed world league and has labelled any such plans as discriminatory.

“Excluding Fiji and other Pacific Island Countries (PICs) based on each nations’ economic ability to  participate  is  downright  discriminatory.  Rugby  has  served,  not  only  to  unite  Fiji  but  also provides an important source of income for players and exclusions will deprive many Fijians of opportunities of earning for their families,” said FCCC CEO Mr. Joel Abraham.

“We all live in a consumer-oriented society, and we believe that the protection of the individual consumer rights is part of maintaining human dignity. This is especially true against big powerful organizations, business monopolies, cartels and multinational corporations”.

Mr Abraham added that discriminating based on economic status is against the core values of the universal human rights.

World Rugby has proposed a 12-team tournament that excludes the PICs and prevents them from facing nations classed as ‘tier one’ for up to 12 years

This move  will  restrict  the  PIC teams from  playing  tier-one  nations and is  predicted to cause players to pursue the sport overseas, leading to potential player exodus.

According to Fiji Rugby Union, Fiji has approximately 80,000 registered rugby players. “World Rugby  needs  to  publicly  acknowledge  their  mistake  and  apologise  to  Fiji  and  other  Pacific teams who have played an important role in growing the sport at the international arena”, said Mr. Abraham.

FCCC   being   an   independent   statutory   body   established   under   Section   7   of   the   Fijian Competition  and  Consumer  Commission  Act  2010  (FCCC  Act  2010)  is  the  only  competition regulator in Fiji and looks into protecting the consumer rights of all Fijians.