Williams calls for rugby harmony

By HUXLEY LOVAI
FORMER Papua New Guinea Rugby Football Union president Soiat Williams has called on Sports Minister Justine Tkatchenko and the Steven Kami-led faction to exercise restraint when engaging with World Rugby.
Willams made the comments in the light of the recent issuing of a letter by World Rugby dated Dec, 20, 2016, to Tkatchenko, referencing his alleged interference in the governance of the sport, which the minister has denied.
Tkatchenko confirmed that he had endorsed Kami at a function last month but did not consider his actions as interference.
“The only thing that I have stated publicly regarding rugby union was acknowledging Steven Kami as president at a function last year,” Tkatchenko said.
“I don’t see that as interfering. Yes, I did acknowledge the new president of rugby union, because of the information and facts that I have been provided.”
Williams expressed his disappointment with the current state of the code in the country, which had given rise to the current political infighting faced by the code’s administrative body, the PNGRFU.
“All sporting codes, including rugby, are autonomous entities and have a governance structure that is independent of the State’s influence and are not compelled by or answerable to the State or its instruments,” Williams said.
“Their line of reporting is directly linked with the international body, as in the case of rugby, World Rugby.
“It is the State’s responsibility to civil society to provide sporting infrastructure to improve the well-being of its citizens.
“I commend the contributions of the O’ Neill/Dion Government and the Sports Minister for their work in overseeing the development of world class sporting infrastructure,such as the Bava Rugby Park.”
Williams said that while it was obvious that PNG rugby currently faced legal and administrative issues, the problems needed to be resolved internally, with the minister acting as a mediator. He warned that the ongoing issues relating to the legal office bearers in the PNGRFU could ultimately lead to the suspension of PNG from all World Rugby sanctioned tournaments. “The onus is on Frame to resolve these legal and management issues.”