Fiji sevens Olympic silver medallist Josaia Wini Raisuqe has tragically died in a train accident in France, his club Castres Olympique have confirmed.
“It is with a heavy heart that we learned of the death this morning in a road accident of our player Josaia Raisuqe. He was a wonderful team-mate who was much appreciated by everyone.”
According to French media reports, Raisuqe’s car was struck by a train at a level crossing near Castres’ Levezou training centre in Saix.
News sources say Raisuqe’s car was hit by a train at a crossing, and pulled along for roughly 200 meters. The athlete died at the scene. Just minutes before the tragedy, he had been at the club’s training center located nearby.
According to L’Equipe, Raisuqe’s teammates were informed of the incident and were released from training.
Saturday’s Top 14 match between Castres and Clermont Auvergne has been postponed, France’s National Rugby League said.
The LNR expressed its “extreme sadness” at the “tragic death”, adding that tributes would be paid to Raisuqe at all Top 14 and second-tier matches this weekend.
Raisuqe, 30, who was part of the Fiji team that finished as runners-up to hosts France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was a winger in XV-a-side rugby.
“He was a radiant young man both on and off the pitch who was a pillar of the Fijian community that we have at the club and to which we are very attached,” Castres President Pierre-Yves Revol said.
Raisuqe played seven times this season for Castres – his last appearance in the match against Toulouse on 27 April. He was set to play for tier-two side Brive for the next two seasons.
Raisuqe joined Castres in 2021 after playing for Stade Francais and Nevers.
In 2017 he was fired by Stade Francais for gross misconduct after being accused of sexual assault. In June 2020 Raisuqe was found guilty and given a suspended prison sentence.
In January 2021, after winning a tough game against Béziers (30-25), he lifted the referee in the extra time and got sent off. He was subsequently banned for 5 weeks for that incident. Raisuqe has 10 yellow cards and 5 red cards to his name in french rugby as well as a yellow card he collected when playing with the Fiji 7’s team.
Wini was born in Lutu, Naitasiri and he took up rugby at a very young age. He dreamed of playing for the Fiji 7’s team and it came to fruition when the then Fiji 7’s coach Ben Ryan spotted him playing in the Martintar and Marist 7’s and selected him for the Fiji 7s team at the 2015 Hong Kong 7s which they won.
He played in 5 tournaments for Fiji scoring 14 tries but in July 2015, French Top 14 side, Stade Français signed him up for the 2015-16 Top 14 season.
Ben Ryan has posted a tribute describing a player full of energy, full of laughter.
