Sri Lanka’s Fijian convert under probe, axed from team
The horrifying conversion of two Fijians to play for Sri Lanka at
last year’s Asian Five Nations tournament has come under probe by the
Fijian Rugby Union which has excluded one of the players, Emori Waqa,
and asked the World Rugby Regulations Committee (WRRC) to make a ruling,
the Fijian media reported this week.
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Emori Waqa |
Emori, a winger, wore the Sri Lanka jersey against the Philippines in
a Five Nations tournament match in Colombo in May 2014 which the home
team lost.
He has now been removed from the Fijian Sevens Squad, which is listed
to contest the Dubai and Cape Town tournaments next month, after it was
revealed he played for Sri Lanka. The Fijian Rugby Union wants the WRRC
to rule on whether Emori can represent Fiji after playing as the holder
of a Sri Lanka passport.
Emori along with another Fijian, Joseph Dunn, played for Sri Lanka at
a time the now-toppled Rajapaksa first-family held sway and was a huge
influencing force in the island’s rugby affairs.
According to International Rugby Board (IRB) rulings, a player can
qualify to represent an adopted country if he has been a resident for an
unbroken three-year period or if he can prove grand-parental heritage.
The Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union opted for the latter which many in
the island raised eye-bows and doubted. |
