The Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) had its Constitution passed Saturday after a unanimous vote by Union members at the FRU Special General Meeting which was held at the Novotel Convention Centre at Lami.
Earlier last month, representatives from the Fiji Rugby Union held consultations in Suva, Nadi and Savusavu regarding the constitution where Union representatives had the chance to share their views and opinions relating to the document which was passed today.
The vote was done through secret ballot, and the result had most representatives voting for the tabled constitution.
The result solidifies Fiji Rugby’s commitment to gaining admission back into the World Rugby Council after Fiji was suspended due to questions raised last year about its Governance structure.
Fiji Rugby Chairman, Peter Mazey shared: “Everything will be in order again and we will take this to World Rugby to be admitted into the Council. We have now achieved the goals they have set the trustees.”
“I think the important part about the process today was that it was voted by all our members. We had 26 Union representatives here and they all passed the vote.”
Mazey says World Rugby assisted in the process by providing a consultant and there was some assistance as well from New Zealand Rugby who are currently going through a similar review. He adds rugby is very much a professional operation and we need to make sure we have the best people to run it at both management and board level.
Satuday’s Special General Meeting(SGM) was called to address the Governance and structure of the organisation and specifically to talk to the Unions.
The SGM was specifically called to discuss matters concerning the Governance and structure of the organization particularly the new company to be formed and called the Fiji Rugby Union Limited that will pave the way for the organisation and sport in the next 30 years and beyond.
Under the new structure, FRU Chairman Peter Mazey said the new company will work alongside the organiSation charity which will act as its watchdog.
“The Drua and Counter Ruck, our 49 percent ownership of that entity will come under the charity just like our properties that includes Rugby House and the High-Performance Units, “shared Mazey.
Under the new structure, the Unions will now vote in their nomination for board members and their will be no longer be a Government or a Prime Ministers nominee, and no World Rugby nominees that will sit on the board. The new structure focuses on giving power to the Unions to move the sport a more commercial focused entity.
Mazey added that under the new structure that was passed by the Union representatives, the High-Performance Unit will now come under the Chief Executive Officer.
A new board of directors and chairman will be elected at the Fiji Rugby Annual General Meeting that will be called within the next 45 days.