Akuila Cama 
The Fiji Rugby Union has attributed its $1.3m loss for 2022 to a number of factors.
FRU reports a financial loss position of $1,354,816 for the financial year 2022, compared to a profit of $269,554 in 2021.
However, Acting Chief Executive Officer Sale Sorovaki in the 2022 Annual Report says their revenues increased to $21,356,771 in 2022 compared $12,941,098 in 2021 which was a good achievement.
But the union’s expenses increased from $12,671,541 in 2021 to $22,711,587 in 2022 resulting in their financial position.
Sorovaki says the absence of sponsors for its U20 program cost them $0.4m, losses in domestic competition due to reduced sponsorships of $0.5m and under-collection from the budgeted income by $4.6m also contributed to their financial performance.
The financial performance was further impacted by the booking of all outstanding expenses from 2019 – 2022 that were not booked for payments.
These according to Sorovaki have now been included rightfully, so that the debts could be recorded for and payment plans implemented as they look to improve their income.
COVID-19 had a huge impact on FRU and likewise on all sponsors.
Sorovaki says they were able to cope in 2020 and 2021 when borders were closed but with our borders opening in December 2021 the sponsors’ businesses recovery was very slow and as such some did not return to the sponsorship level prior to COVID.
It was also highlighted in the annual report that three finance personnel had to be let go because of breach of financial policies.
Sale Sorovaki says their new Finance Manager started from mid-October and since then new staff have been recruited, and the finance department is undergoing restructuring.
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