The father of Jason Taumālolo, Va’ai Taumālolo has denied his son met with other Mate Ma’a Tonga players before complaints against the Tonga Interim National League board were made to the Prime Minister.
Va’ai took to Facebook and wrote on the Tonga Rugby League page today saying he had questioned Jason whether it was true he had signed a letter.
He said his son said he had not signed the letter and admitted he never met with the players
Va’ai has called on those involved with the complaints to leave his son alone.
He said his son only joined the Mate Ma’a Tonga to play and if he was no longer fit to be selected than that was it.
He believed his son was used by some people to support what appeared to be a political “campaign.”
Va’ai said he believed the elected board members were the right people to do the job.
His comments came after Television Tonga reported on Friday that prop Andrew Fifita has complaint to the Prime Minister against the interim rugby league board.
The story was also carried by Kaniva news last night.
The TVT’s Friday report did not say that Jason or any of the Mate Ma’a Tonga players signed the letter, rather it said Fifita made the complaint to the Prime Minister on behalf of the Mate Ma’a Tonga team players.
Tonga Broadcasting Station Manager Setita Tau’i’onetoa told Kaniva news this evening she received a letter purporting to raise the issues revealed by Fifita’s complaint, but the letter was not signed.
It is understood the letter was sent by e-mail, but the copy of the letter sent to us did not show the sender’s email address.
The letter demanded that the interim board members must not be re-elected at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.
It was labelled “confidential” and addressed to Todd Greenberg – CEO National Rugby League, Nigel Wood – CEO Rugby League International Federation , Jeremy Edwards – GM Southern Hemisphere Rugby League International Federation, Ian Pendergrast – CEO Rugby League Players’ Association and Clint Newton – GM Stakeholder Relations Rugby League Players Association.
“This letter is to state that we, the players representing Mate Ma’a Tonga, do not support the current TNRL Board of Directors led by Chairman George Koloamatangi and Secretary William Edwards,” the first paragraph read.
It raised a number of issues including claims that the players would withdraw from any further involvement with Mate Ma’a Tonga if the interim board members were re-elected.
“…we will be withdrawing from the World Nines to be played in October 2019 and considering a position for the upcoming Tests against Great Britain and Australia. We are also very concerned from what we are hearing from our families in Tonga, that the current Board are delaying the upcoming AGM. Our position on the World Nines and the Tests will not change if the AGM is not held and a fair selection process of a new Board does not occur before these events in October,” the unsigned letter said.
As we reported last night, the interim board has denied the accusations made in the letter and said it would respond to the complaints.
The interim board was appointed by the Tonga Supreme Court after it received complaints demanding an audit of the board’s financial matters.
An audit report was expected last month which would give way to the election of new board members in an upcoming Annual General Meeting.
The main points
- The father of Jason Taumalolo, Va’ai Taumalolo has denied his son met with other Mate Ma’a Tonga players before complaints against the Tonga Interim National League board were made to the Prime Minister.
- Va’ai has called on those involved with the complaints to leave his son alone.
For more information
Andrew Fifita lodges complaints against interim National League board; players threatened to pull out of Mate Ma’a Tonga
