The Uluai la o le Talalelei crew from Salelologa is not a happy bunch. So much so they have criticised Segavao from Don Bosco for hitting their fautasi saying it caused them come last in yesterday’s race.
Segavao was behind Uluai la o le Talalelei and collided with their stern, pushing the Salelologa crew off course, and, they say, killing any chance of front ranking.
“I blame the captain of the Segavao, they shouldn’t have done what they did, it’s a shame they had to act like that to get what they wanted,” said captain Fonoiā Ta’ifau Molesi.
He is demanding that their fautasi be placed second and Don Bosco third.
“Two days before the race started, the school captain came to us and shook hands with us and told us to make sure we have a clean race and now look,” he said angrily.
Asked for comment, Don Bosco’s principal, Father Chris Ford and Acting Captain, Taupaū Lui Mulipola told the Sunday Samoan they are not in a position to comment fully because they haven’t seen the footage yet.
Fonoiā said if the Salelologa fautasi had wanted to start a fight at the start of the race, they would have dealt with that then, before the race even started.
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But, he said, “we came here for one reason only and that’s to compete, nothing else. We don’t want any trouble and we definitely don’t want anything to happen that will ruin the spirit of Independence Day.
“We just wanted a clean and fun race - whether we win or lose it doesn’t matter - it’s the celebration of our country’s Independence Day that matters.
“However, today I was very disappointed and I don’t blame anyone but the Don Bosco fautasi, because of what they did.”
He told that media that second place should be theirs and if that happens, then they will be at peace.
However, Father Chris told the Sunday Samoan they are waiting for the race officials to do a proper investigation and they will accept anything that will come their way.
“I haven’t seen the footage of the incident and I haven’t spoken to the Police Commissioner. I assume that there will be an investigation and a report for this incident,” he said.
“So until all that is done, then we will be able to comment. But as for now, we are not in a position to say anything because that would breach any investigation done by the race officials.
“So we don’t want to prejudice any investigation or anything that the police are doing at the moment.”
Father Chris also told the Samoa Observer that he shook hands with one of the matai from Salelologa after the race and they told them that they will keep the peace.
“We just want to make sure that everything stays calm from our end.
If there is going to be a discussion, I’m sure it’s not going to be through the media, it will be between the captains and the representatives of the two teams.
“So we are not going to enter into a public scene that’s between two sides. A lot of these things are best left up to the race officials to do their work and to take their responsibility seriously and carry out a proper investigation of the race and of the incident.
“We are happy to abide by the findings of a proper investigation carried out by the officials.”
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