Olympics gold medallist and rugby sevens star Vatemo Ravouvou appeared at the Nadi Magistrates Court yesterday for allegedly breaching COVID-19 rules while in quarantine at the Nasau Hotel in Nadi on Thursday morning.
Appearing before Magistrate Nilmini Fernandez, the former national 7s rugby star was charged with one count of failure to comply with orders Contrary to Section 69 of the Public Health Act and Section 2 of the Public Health (Infectious Disease) Regulation 2020.
Ravouvou, 30, appeared with 36-year-old carpenter Mikaele Turaganisole and 45-year-old hair dresser Vateresia Kenona.
According to prosecutors, the trio were drinking at the quarantine facility where Kenona was being quarantined.
The three accused were seen by a health inspector who alleged that Ravouvou and Turaganisole were leaving the hair dresser’s room at 4am on Thursday.
According to the health inspector, all quarantined guests at the facility were briefed not to consume alcohol, kava or even socialise with each other while in quarantine.
The health inspector who was on night shift reported the matter to a supervisor who later reported the incident to police.
In court yesterday, Ravouvou and his co-accused sought Legal Aid assistance to represent them in their case.
The trio were each granted a $1000 bail bond and one surety each.
Ravouvou’s surety was provided by his wife. The case has been adjourned to October 27 for mention and for a plea to be taken.
The sevens rep is best known for playing rugby sevens for the Fiji 7s team.
He played in 38 tournaments and scored 912 points which ranks 28th on the All-Time Men’s list.
He last played in the Cape Town Sevens during the 2018-2019 season.
The 30-year-old was part of the 2016 Gold medal winning sevens team at the Olympics in Rio.
He represented Fiji in the World Rugby Sevens circuit for a number of seasons and also wore the Fiji National 15s jersey against the Barbarians in Belfast on November 11 in 2016.
He later signed a contract with the Western Sydney Rams in the National Rugby Championship in 2016 where he played fullback and fly half.
In 2018 Vatemo was a member of Fiji’s Rugby World Cup Sevens team and he also played in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Last year, he joined the Utah Warriors for the 2019 and 2020 season.
