FRU Media Release on Telecom Fiji Warriors – Iosefo Bele Tabalala

While official medical results are yet to be released the FRU can confirm that Iosefo, failed to wake up this morning at his hotel camp at the Southern Cross in Suva.

His roommate and medical team in camp tried all efforts to revive him this morning while waiting for emergency services to arrive. He was then rushed to the CWM Hospital however all efforts by the hospital team failed to revive him.

While this untimely pass has shocked the Fiji camp the Telecom Fiji Warriors are more than determined to push through to Round 4 on Monday in the memory and honour of Iosefo.

Iosefo was selected to be the Telecom Fiji Warriors team after a rigorous selection process and was based in Brisbane, Australia playing for the Brothers Club.

He hails from Yaudigi village, Togoru, Macuata and started his rugby career with University of the South Pacific team in 2005 before he joined Naitasiri from 2009 to 2010.

In his second year with Naitasiri he broke into the Fiji Barbarians side, representing Fiji to the Pacific Rugby Cup until 2011.

He then moved to Brisbane and joined the Brothers Rugby Club where he has remained since then.

In his profile, he wrote that his Best Rugby Memory was when he scored a try against Tailevu in the Digicel Cup while his goal was to represent Fiji to this year’s Rugby World Cup.

Bele as he preferred to be called was described as a quite spoken player with a very humble attitude.

The FRU President, Trustees, Life members, Board, Management, Staff, Partners, Sponsors and the Telecom Fiji Warriors Team offer their deepest condolences to the Tabalala family at this time of their loss. May the Almighty Father grant them the comfort and peace that they need at this time.

The FRU would also like to thank the Sothern Cross staff, CWMH emergency staff and all those that assisted this morning.

May Iosefo rest in peace.