Simran Chand 
Source: FFA / Facebook
Navua Football President Rajeev Prasad has admitted that the club made an honest mistake after overlooking player eligibility when they fielded Simione Damuni in their 5-2 Extra Premier League win over Nadi yesterday.
Damuni was ineligible to play against Nadi after accumulating double yellow cards from previous matches.
An email containing the summary of every match played, including cards accumulated and player eligibility for the next round, is sent weekly by the Fiji Football Association.
Prasad explained that the official responsible for checking the weekly eligibility was preoccupied throughout the week and unfortunately missed Damuni’s suspension.
Prasad maintained that the club had no malicious intent and immediately substituted the player at half-time after receiving a notification call from the Fiji FA confirming the oversight.
The Nadi Football Association has since filed a formal protest, with a decision expected from the Fiji FA this afternoon.
If the protest is upheld, Nadi could receive three points, which would improve their standing and secure them a spot in next week’s Inter-District Championship overtaking Nasinu FC.
The league table currently shows Nasinu holding 18 points, just ahead of Nadi’s 17 points.
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