FOR all the football legends who’ve thrilled fans but never signed a ball for fame, a new star has emerged — not a player, but an administrator: Rajesh Patel.
A photo making the rounds on social media shows the Fiji Football Association president signing a match ball, a moment that’s quickly gone viral.
He sure seems famous now, and rightly so, especially after what Nilesh Lal recently wrote about the football culture, boardroom politics, and that amended constitution designed to keep the elites in control for years.
Autographs: A Symbol of Who Matters Most
Usually, it’s the football heroes — the ones who thrill crowds and win championships — who are asked for autographs.
But this time, it’s the man long accused of steering the game in the wrong direction stepping into the spotlight, pen in hand.
Is this the new norm for Fiji football where power outshines performance, and administrators become the celebrities while players fade into the background?
Lal, a staunch advocate for governance reform, didn’t hold back in his Fiji Sun column, a must-read for anyone who loves the game.
He dissected Fiji FA’s power structure with surgical precision, writing:
“These deliberate changes to the constitution were designed explicitly to protect the sitting president and his circle,”
Lal noted, citing several critics and media reports.
“Critics alleged that these amendments were passed in an atmosphere where dissenters feared consequences. Reports from that 2011 congress stated that many district officials privately opposed the motion but feared reprisal if they voted against it. Voting was done by show of hands, with Fiji FA power-brokers watching to see who dissented.
“The media reported district officials confiding to critics that they knew opposing the president’s will would mean being ‘shown the door’,” Ram wrote, adding it’s hardly a welcome change in the sport.
And now, as Patel’s autograph moment goes viral, one can’t help but ask:
Is this about authority or adoration? About leadership or legacy?
Either way, the game’s true stars — the players who made Fiji football proud remain on the sidelines, unsigned and unseen.
Because while autographs may fade, accountability shouldn’t.
