A former Nadi Football Association president and ex-players have voiced their disappointment after learning the district will not feature in next month’s premier division football competition, the 2025 Inter-District Championship (IDC).
Nadi’s hopes were crushed after a 5-2 defeat to Navua in the Extra Premier League.
The race for the crucial eighth-place finish came down to Nadi and Nasinu, with Nasinu ultimately booking the IDC spot.
Former president Navneeda Goundar, who guided Nadi to multiple tournament victories served in 2003 and again between 1994 to 2004, including the IDC, BOG, Fiji Fact, and the National League, said the absence marks a dark chapter in the district’s proud history.
“I’m saddened by Nadi’s loss in such an important match against Navua, and even more so by the reality that the team will now play in the Senior Division for the first time since 1938,” Goundar said.
He blamed poor decision-making for costing the district its place in the IDC, which will be staged next month at the new Four R Stadium (Govind Park) in Ba.
Former Nadi striker Rusiate Waqan, the district’s feared “striker assassin” of the 1980s, said the current management must take full responsibility for the fall.
He revealed that former players had offered to assist the team, but their proposals were rejected.
“Seriously? Nadi will not be playing in the IDC?” Waqan asked.
“When you have people who never kicked a ball a day in their lives running the sport, what else do we expect?”
Waqan added that Ba field had always been Nadi’s favourite hunting ground, a venue where the district lifted multiple championships, making the current exclusion even harder to accept.
“People in positions need to understand the district belongs to the people. If it is not working for them, make space for those who will bring change,” he said.
Waqan’s former strike partner Manu Pokar echoed the frustration, stressing that the district needs leadership rooted in passion and genuine commitment.
“Save the district the embarrassment. Leave the team to someone who knows the sport. We need to put Nadi first, before people,” Pokar said.
“I’m at a loss for words. We owe an explanation to the fans, the sponsors, and the entire community.
“I’ve been inundated with calls from fans who are genuinely concerned about the direction the team took leading up to this elimination. It’s heartbreaking.”
Goundar, Waqan and Pokar were the 80s marquees on the Nadi team.
For the first time in more than eight decades, Nadi, a district once synonymous with football glory will miss out on the IDC, a bitter reality that has left fans, legends, and administrators stunned.
