A man died following a brawl during a rugby league match in Samoa over the weekend, prompting calls for police to attend local sports events. The incident occurred at Vaiala Rugby Fields on Saturday during a game between Marist Saints and Apia Barracudas.
The deceased has been identified as Saveatama Faamavaega Saveatama, a Marist Saints player. Social media footage showed the brawl continuing while the man lay unconscious on the ground. Police have collected the videos as evidence.
Acting Police Commissioner Leiataua Samelu Afamasaga said no charges have been filed yet. 'The evidence needs to be beyond reasonable doubt before we can charge someone. We haven't found anyone yet,' he said.
Vaiala's female representative, Sileoleoga Patu Wilson, called for police presence at games to deter violence. 'This is the first time I have heard of someone dying from such games especially here in Vaiala so this is concerning and we need to make sure this doesn't happen again,' she said.
Leiataua responded that there is no law requiring police at every match, noting that over 20 games occur simultaneously. He emphasized that discipline should be instilled through Samoan cultural values, not solely reliant on police supervision.
Source: scoop.co.nz
