Oceania Rugby says PNG must clear debt to regain World Rugby membership
The PNG Rugby Union was suspended in September 2024 over breaches of its tournament obligations, governance and financial non-compliance.
Papua New Guinea's rugby union faces suspension from World Rugby, contingent upon resolving an old debt and addressing governance concerns. Oceania Rugby, responsible for the region's rugby federations, has disclosed that PNG has been collaborating with them and World Rugby on a plan to reinstate the union. PNGRU was barred in September 2024 due to failing to meet tournament commitments, governance lapses, and financial negligence.
An impartial investigation and an Independent Judicial Panel were set up to assess PNGRU's finances and governance following their exclusion. Frank Puletua, Oceania Rugby's general manager, emphasized that PNGRU holds the reins in this matter. "We've been in contact with PNGRU and World Rugby throughout this process," he stated.
"We want to see PNGRU restored in good standing once they fulfill the conditions outlined in the roadmap." The specifics of the process will remain private due to the delicate nature for individuals and entities in PNG. Oceania Rugby's acting president, Vincent Karawa, made misleading claims, stating that his organization had done everything possible to meet Oceania's requests, but acknowledged no communication with PNGRU and expressed concern over potential external influences.
Oceania Rugby clarified inaccuracies in recent media reports regarding PNGRU's membership status, expressing their intent to collaborate with World Rugby in crafting a resolution. For the past eight months, World Rugby and Oceania Rugby have worked closely with local stakeholders in PNG, adhering to the newly established roadmap.
PNGRU's participation in global competitions has been halted since their expulsion, and there are apprehensions locally that the suspension might drive players to switch from rugby union to rugby league, particularly with Australian funding allocated to the development of a professional NRL team in PNG, the PNG Chiefs. Despite local competitions continuing, the future of PNGRU's status with World Rugby remains uncertain.
Written by urgent.news from RNZ Pacific's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
