Patel, Son At Gamel Inquiry: Lawyer

The Fiji Football Association president Rajesh Patel was heavily involved in the team formed to investigate the alleged misconduct of national football coach Christophe Gamel, it has been revealed.

The four-member team also included Fiji FA solicitor Samuel Ram, Patel’s son Dilan Patel and a member of Mr Ram’s law firm, Niven Padarath.

This has been revealed to the Fiji Sun by Ba football lawyer Mohammed Yunus, who accompanied the players to the interview.

Yunus says three national U23 Ba players – namely Kalaveti Sivoi, Kini Madigi and Amena Bola – were interviewed by the team on January 31; while the fourth, Simione Nabenu, was interviewed in February.

It is unclear if the fifth player to accuse Gamel of (alleged) assault, Lautoka’s Sekove Finau, was interviewed.

Yunus says only Rajesh Patel was not present for the second interview, his place on the investigating team taken by another lawyer who he preferred not to name.

Patel has told local media that Gamel has been cleared of all wrongdoing by a committee on the basis of the investigating team’s report.

Siteri Tinaitamana.

The female players allege Gamel demeaned them on several occasions last year and also at the OFC Women’s Nations Cup in New Caledonia in December.

The parents of one player allege the coach stormed into their house last year and threatened to slap their daughter if she did not attend training.

Patel maintains he will not investigate the claims made by the women because they did not lodge official complaints.

This despite calls by leading women rights activist Shamima Ali and Amnesty International’s Roshika Deo to do so.

What else Fiji FA lawyer Samuel Ram said in response to our questions:

“During the investigation, it was also discovered that the statements published by the Fiji Sun were icorrect.

“People have informed us that some of the comments that they have made in favour of Mr Gamel and FijiFA have not been reported.

“Some people you have named in your articles have informed us that they did not make the statements they were published by Fiji Sun to have made.

“From the evidence that we have, we are of the opinion that Fiji Sun has published reports to defame Mr Gamel and the FijiFA.

“This is also shown by how you have asked questions, the particular tone of your publications and the fact that you are reporting the same story for over 60 days.”

Edited by Leone Cabanatabua

Feedback: sheldon.chanel@fijisun.com.fj