The Kamal Swamy coached Nadi Football side has suffered a major setback prior to their 2020 Courts Inter-District Championship campaign.

This is after midfield-general Avinesh Warran Suwamy is carrying an ankle injury and will not be able to recover in time.

The 34-year-old national rep picked up the injury during a training session two weeks ago.

Nadi Football manager Abdul Khan confirmed the incident.

“During training Rusiate Matererega stepped on Suwamy’s foot during team training which led to his injury,” he said.

“Rahul Krishna is back with the team and he should fill that gap.”

According to Suwamy he will be out for two months and he has not been training with the team.

“This is a terrible thing to happen to me,” said Suwamy.

“I was actually looking forward to this tournament since Nadi last won in 2002. It has been a while.”

He added that he has been getting his foot massaged from the tradition healer.

Most of the Nadi players were in action during the opening round of the RC Manubhai Local league at the Prince Charles Park, Nadi on last Sunday.

Some of the players did turn up for training at mid-day.

Nadi is in a tough pool, with defending champions Labasa with 24- times champions Ba, and Navua in Group B.

2019 Runners-up Suva heads Group A with Rewa, Lautoka and Nasinu.

Meanwhile, The Green Machine since 1938 have featured in 24 IDC finals but only managed to claim six titles with their last victory was in 2002.

However, in recent times Nadi last played in three straight finals from 2013 -2015.

Edited by Simione Haravanua

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