Rugby League

Eels fly staff over to support Maika Sivo

January 3, 2020 11:34 am

Maika Sivo

Two Parramatta Eels club staff are in the country to provide support to Maika Sivo.

Eels football manager Mark O’Neill and an additional staff member from the wellbeing team arrived on New Year’s Day as the star winger faces a charge of indecent assault following an alleged incident at a resort in Denarau.

According to a TVNZ report, the initial charge of indecent annoyance was upgraded to indecent assault without notice after Sivo spent the night in a cell on Sunday, which caused confusion for Parramatta officials.

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Under the original charge, it was thought he would be free to return to training and face a potential fine.

The 26-year-old was granted bail but is unable to return to Australia with the court putting a travel ban in place under the new charge.

It’s believed Sivo’s legal representative is attempting to have the charge downgraded before he is due to face Nadi Magistrates Court to enter a plea next Tuesday.

The club is also hopeful a travel ban will be lifted to enable him to return to Australia to begin NRL pre-season training with the Eels which began yesterday.

The NRL star winger is alleged to have indecently assaulted a female staff of a resort in Denarau on Boxing Day.

Sivo’s lawyer Mosese Naivalu pleaded in court four days ago for his client to be released on bail and stated the Eels star was scheduled to return to Sydney later this week for pre-season training.

Bail was granted by Magistrate Peni Dalituicama, however, a stop departure order was placed on Sivo.

[Source: TVNZ]