Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stressed the important role family plays when it comes to winning tournaments.

He made the comment during the Nadroga Football Association’s victory celebration at the Seaview Drive Resort, Sigatoka, on Saturday night.

The Nadroga football team won this year’s Courts Interdistrict Championship’s Senior Division title at the ANZ Stadium, Suva, on October 11.

Also attending the event were representatives from the Sigatoka business sector, former players, families and supporters

Sayed-Khaiyum congratulated the players, officials, their respective families and the business sector who had contributed to the campaign.

“Family is very important, the players always have to go back home at night and to have a stable family environment obviously will help him to be a much better player,” he said.

“I like to thank everybody for their contribution. Obviously in all of this behind the players are a lot of people that help them to reach this stage.

“Not only the coach and the technical people, the sponsors, the fans and their families that provide the support.”

After the IDC win, the Stallions are preparing for their two-match clash against Bua in the Vodafone Senior Division playoffs.

Winning the playoffs mark their return to next year’s Vodafone Premier League competition.

“I understand you have a home and away game against Bua and if you beat them you are going to the premier division.

“Of course it’s a big league, Nadroga is not unfamiliar with the premier division being there for a number of decades.”

Not putting much pressure on the players, Sayed-Khaiyum urged them to play with integrity.

Fiji FA vice-president Aiyaz Musa said Nadroga had produced talented players like John Rounds, Abraham Watkins, Ramendra Datt and Radike Nawalu who had contributed a lot towards the development of football in the country.

“I’m glad to see that under the new executive members, there is a renewed vigour to improve the competitive quality of Nadroga football,” he said.

Winning Nadroga captain Tomasi Tuicakau said their preparations for the IDC was good.

“We had good camping facilities at Hana Hana Hills and at the hotel in Navua,” he said.

“That has really hepled us a lot during our preparations for the tournament.”

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua