Ref error costs the Fiji Baba's

An error on the part of a referee cost Global Fiji Baba's, the crowd favourite at the Dubai Exiles, dearly as they bowed out in the semifinals of the International Social event yesterday.

"We were leading 19-17 and the referee made an error in counting and ruled the score 19-19," the Global Fiji Baba's team manager Rajesh Singh told the Gulf News yesterday. Their efforts to protest was in vain and they eventually lost 19-22 to the British Army, a team comprising mostly Fijian players.

The referee's blunder was obvious when all the referees decided to protect the identity of the official concerned. It is believed that the referee was a New Zealander. Efforts to get the referee's name proved futile. All the referees threw a protecting ring around him and refused to divulge the name .

"We couldn't do much about that," Singh said later. He added that it was disappointing to lose in an unfair manner after having come all the way from Fiji. "We wouldn't mind if we lose fairly, but this is not the way to lose."

He claimed that the Dubai Exiles Chairman Jim Lees walked upto him and said, "your team won in real sense." Singh further added that even the British Army team members told his team players that they were the real winners. Anyway, he pointed out, "the players of the British Army are also our boys."

It was indeed unfortunate that team of Global Fiji Baba's had to bow out in this shameful fashion. The British Army, meanwhile, will meet the defending champions Quality Street Gang in the final as they beat Christine Noble 28-7.

However, Singh insists, "Our match (semifinals) was the final." And, he strongly believes they were robbed because an official made an error.