PRPW issues damning 59-page dossier urging review of Bill Beaumont's World Rugby re-election
A review into Bill Beaumont’s re-election as World Rugby chairman in May has been called for after Pacific Rugby Players Welfare alleged in a stinging 59-page dossier submitted to the sport’s global governing body on Wednesday that World Rugby’s governance was “glaringly deficient”.
The Veilomani Report, named after the Fijian term for loving one another, claimed World Rugby were in breach of its own bye-laws and International Olympic Committee (IOC) regulations. World Rugby said that Beaumont’s re-election was “fairly contested”, with the global bosses “pressing hard for change” in Fiji.
Fiji Rugby Union (RFU) chairman Francis Kean had supported Beaumont’s re-election for the chairmanship but was stood down from the World Rugby council after it emerged he had been previously convicted of manslaughter.
Beaumont announced plans for a “wide-ranging governance review” in January that is now being led by Hugh Robertson, but PRPW chief executive Dan Leo has challenged World Rugby to lift the lid on that process. “We believe this year’s World Rugby elections should be reviewed in full,” Leo told the PA news agency.
“Serious questions are still to be answered about how Francis Kean, a man convicted of manslaughter, could have been accepted onto the World Rugby council. France had supported Kean’s nomination to World Rugby’s executive committee, though his candidacy was later withdrawn.
Pacific Rugby Players Welfare today publishes the Veilomani Report, our recommendations to end glaring deficiencies in World Rugby’s governance.https://t.co/a7k08UFaC3
— PacificRugbyWelfare (@pacificwelfare) July 22, 2020
“Fiji supported Bernard Laporte’s successful bid for World Rugby’s vice-chairmanship, with the French union boss and Beaumont’s joint ticket ousting the challenge of Agustin Pichot. We believe that the entire process merits comprehensive review.”
Rugby sevens’ place in the Olympic movement could be under threat should World Rugby be found to be in breach of the IOC code.
“World Rugby does not consistently meet the necessary high standards of good governance, it is in breach of its commitments as a member of the Olympic movement, and continues to act in breach of its own bye-laws,” alleged the PRPW report. When compared with other major international sports federations, World Rugby’s governance is glaringly deficient.”
Former Samoa, Wasps and London Irish lock Leo revealed PRPW has written to World Rugby three times in as many months, offering evidence gathered by the organisation into alleged wrongdoing by Kean in Fiji. Leo said PRPW has taken the bold step of sending their extensive dossier of recommendations for change directly to Robertson, the current British Olympic Association (BOA) chairman and former UK sports minister.
The Veilomani Report outlines 32 recommendations, including a range of measures to stamp out misconduct in the Pacific Islands. “One of the reasons why we’re so frustrated is we’ve written three letters to World Rugby and have received no response at all,” said Leo.
“We have witness testimony we are hoping to pass along, but we are yet to be given the chance. People have come to us and trusted us with that, but we haven’t been able to pass that forward.
“The only way things will change is if independent organisations who don’t have any conflict of interests over funding are allowed to come to the table and make these submissions, and actually have them taken seriously, and not just be ignored.
“Since we have operated outside of their funding we have been totally frozen out and left in the cold. We can’t just send these reports and letters through without making them public, because if we do, they won’t be acknowledged. It’s really important for the Pacific Islands, but also for every Tier Two nation, that these issues are taken seriously, addressed and rectified.
“Obviously rugby operates in a capitalist world, but it’s got to operate with a conscience as well. That’s not too much to ask, particularly in a sport that prides itself on values such as teamwork, respect and integrity. This report we believe shows those values are not universal in the sport.”
World Rugby has insisted that investigations continue into the Kean affair, while also standing behind the process by which Beaumont was re-elected as chairman. “The World Rugby chairperson election was fairly contested by two excellent leadership candidates with clear visions for the sport,” a World Rugby spokesperson told the PA news agency.
“World Rugby has been pressing hard for change in the Fiji Rugby Union, whilst enquiries have been ongoing into wide-ranging allegations of misconduct.”
Kean was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in December 2006. The brother-in-law of Fiji prime minister Frank Bainimarama, Kean is also subject to a host of human rights abuse allegations.
Jones says there are 'clear grounds' for 'expelling Fiji from the sport'https://t.co/s2UQhsECki
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 19, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments