The Samoa Rugby Union chief executive officer, Tuilagi Saipele Esera, has spoken out following a complaint that he threatened a sports journalist which is now under police investigation.
The incident happened during a farewell dinner for the Manu Samoa sevens rugby team where Esera ordered the journalist, Sioeli Alofaifo, to leave the function or he would beat him on the head with a chair.
However, Esera says the issue had nothing to do with the complainant being a journalist and that it was a personal matter.
But it's understood Esera has been critical of a report the journalist filed from Australia during the the Pacific 5 nations tournament in July.
It revealed a letter from the Manu Samoa rugby players asking for the resignation of the chief executive officer when they didn't receive their allowances after two weeks of the tournament.
