Raniga unhappy

Press, 25 October 1984, Page 38

Raniga unhappy

NZPA Suva The Fiji soccer captain Bale Raniga who was sent off in a match against New Zealand last week, said yesterday he did not have the heart of an angel to offer the other cheek if he was hit. Fiji Football Association officials would not have tolerated what the New Zealanders threw at him either if they were in his place, Raniga said. Raniga was sent off in the dying minutes of the match by the Australian referee,

Mr Peter Rampley, after fighting broke out and police and officials rushed on to the pitch. The second international at the national stadium in Suva was also marred by an all-out brawl at full-time in the worst case of soccer violence to hit Fiji. Soon after the second match the Fiji Football Association president, Mr Hari Pal Singh made a press statement calling for Raniga to be banned from all international matches. Raniga said Singh’s comments were disappointing

and embarrassing: “I think Mr Singh should find out what happened and how it happened before making embarrassing comments”, Raniga said. “Mr -Singh should defend us. I’ve played for the Fiji team for nothing. If I defend myself in a fight I didn’t start, I don’t see why people like Mr Singh should embarrass me or any other player.” “It was the first time I had punched anybody in a game, it was the first time I was sent off in a soccer match.”