12 Dec 2014

Uncertainty over Fiji rugby TV feed

4:32 pm on 12 December 2014

There are conflicting media reports in Fiji about whether there will be live television coverage in Fiji of this weekend's Rugby Sevens tournament in South Africa.

Fiji Rugby Logo

Fiji Rugby Logo Photo: Fiji Rugby

Fiji Village reports that the sport's governing body, World Rugby, has restated that the TV feed is exclusively for rights holder Fiji TV.

However, FBC News says the broadcast will go ahead.

Under a regime decree, FijiTV has to share the feed with all other TV stations or risk a massive fine and a ten-year jail sentence.

World Rugby, formerly the IRB, withheld the broadcast of last weekend's Dubai Sevens after discovering the decree provisions.

In parliament today, the opposition accused the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, of misleading parliament over his statements that World Rugby consented to games being shared across broadcasters.

Tupou Draunidalo referred to correspondence between World Rugby and the government over the decree.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum denied he had misled the house, saying he has copies of correspondence to prove it.