The Nadroga Rugby Legends Association has raised concerns over what it describes as unfair treatment of Nadroga teams during the Skipper Cup semi-finals against Tailevu at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva last weekend.

Association president Tevita Dikedike said the Nadroga senior team encountered an alleged disagreement with security personnel upon arriving at the stadium, forcing players to walk approximately 50 metres from the main gate while carrying their warm-up gear.

“This treatment has caused the players to lose focus on the games because of the exposure they have been put into to walk from the main gate to the stadium,” Dikedike said.

He said unnecessary confrontations and confusion at the stadium entrance could create avoidable stress and distractions for players ahead of an important match.

Dikedike said the team’s empty bus was later allowed to enter the stadium premises after its official pass was recognised.

The association have also raised their concerns on their Nadroga Legends Facebook page.

However, members of the Nadroga Legends Association alleged that the Tailevu team bus was allowed into the stadium without any apparent difficulty, raising questions about consistency in the application of access procedures.

Dikedike said the reported incidents were not limited to the Nadroga senior team, claiming similar treatment was experienced by the Nadroga Under-20 side during last Saturday’s semi-final and the Malolo team during the Skipper Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, October 17.

The association is calling on the Fiji Rugby Union, Fiji Sports Council and other relevant authorities to investigate the reported incidents and clarify the protocols governing team-bus access to stadium premises.

Questions have been sent to the Fiji Rugby Union seeking clarification on the allegations, but a response had not been received at the time of publication.