Laijipa Naulivou, the newly appointed director of the Fiji Rugby Union, was fired after making controversial remarks about the women's national team, alleging a 'gay problem'. Naulivou's comments sparked outrage and accusations of discrimination, prompting the Fiji Rugby Union to terminate her appointment.
The director of the Fiji Rugby Union has been fired just days into her new role, after she stirred controversy with remarks that the women's national team had a "gay problem".
She added that homosexuality was "one big drawback" when the Fiji women's team participated in a previous HSBC Sevens tournament. "The notion that being gay is a 'problem' in women's rugby is deeply troubling and perpetuates harmful stereotypes that have no place in modern sports or society," said the group's executive director Nalini Singh.
In 2016, the Fiji women's rugby team became the first among Pacific nations to qualify for the Rio Olympics. In 2021, the team won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. But at the Paris Games last year, they were knocked out in the group stage and came in last place out of the 12 competing teams.Naulivou is a prominent figure in the local rugby scene, known for being the first captain of the women's national team and an advocate for the inclusion of women in the male-dominated sport.
LGBTQ+ Discrimination Rugby Fiji Controversy
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