Beyond the Game: U20 Pilot Champions HIV Awareness and Player Wellbeing.

Fiji Rugby is proposing an HIV awareness and voluntary screening pilot for its U20 pathway, bringing health education and confidential access to services into a trusted rugby environment. The initiative would support young players to make informed decisions about their health as part of their wider development on and off the field.

The proposed pilot would bring together Fiji Rugby, Vunitogoloa Youth; a youth organization supported through funding from the FIJI Water Foundation; and an authorized clinical provider. Each partner’s role, together with any Foundation funding for this specific pilot, would be agreed before implementation. The proposal initially envisages up to 120 players across two U20 camps, with 60 in Suva and 60 in Nadi, subject to confirmation of camp arrangements and clinical capacity.

It would initially target up to 120 players across two proposed U20 camps, with 60 players in Suva and 60 in Nadi. Camp dates, participation, partner responsibilities and funding remain subject to agreement.

Players would receive age-appropriate information on HIV prevention, testing and treatment, with opportunities to ask questions privately.

Those choosing screening would receive confidential counselling and results from qualified health professionals, with referral and follow-up support where required. An alternative appointment away from camp would also be offered.

Testing would be entirely voluntary. A player’s decision to accept or decline testing, or their result, would not determine selection, registration, travel, accommodation or access to camp support. Appropriate consent and safeguarding arrangements would be agreed for players under 18.

Individual results would remain with the clinical provider. Fiji Rugby and supporting partners would receive only safely aggregated information to assess delivery and improve access, with no named HIV results register held by the rugby programme.

The concept draws on an integrated health screening approach trialled with a Ba Rugby, where the FIJI Water Foundation reported 19 players screened in three hours. That figure relates to the broader health screening session and does not represent 19 confirmed HIV tests.

The U20 pilot would place prevention and access to care within player wellbeing, while helping reduce stigma around seeking health advice. Participation would carry no assumption about any player’s HIV status or personal behaviour.

Following joint planning and confirmation of clinical capacity, an initial three-month learning period would assess access, privacy, participation and follow-up before any decision to extend the approach to other Fiji Rugby pathways.