BIARRITZ, France — Masivesi Dakuwaqa has publicly expressed remorse towards his Biarritz teammate, Pierre Pagès, after a shocking incident where he bit Pagès on the cheek during a drunken evening. This altercation has resulted in the rugby club deciding to terminate Dakuwaqa’s contract with immediate effect.
In a recent discussion with L’Equipe, the 2016 Olympic gold medallist in rugby sevens from Fiji revealed his confusion over why he resorted to violence against Pagès, particularly when Pagès was merely trying to calm him down following a team gathering at a southern France restaurant last month.
Sources indicate that Dakuwaqa became enraged after teammates convinced him not to drive home. The situation escalated when he allegedly smashed a car window, prompting Pagès to intervene. In that moment of chaos, Dakuwaqa bit Pagès, resulting in severe injuries that needed 20 stitches at a local clinic.
“After conducting an internal inquiry, the club finds it untenable for Masivesi Dakuwaqa to remain with us due to these serious allegations,” stated the Biarritz rugby club, which competes in the second division of French rugby. They confirmed that no further comments would be provided regarding the matter.
Dakuwaqa shared that he feels deeply haunted by what transpired and can’t get Pagès out of his mind, revealing that they have not been in contact since the incident, as his lawyer advised against reaching out.
“I wish I could apologize to Pierre directly, and to his family as well,” he expressed, noting how shocked he is by his actions. “This should never have occurred. If I hadn’t been drinking, none of this would have happened. I had far too many beers and lost control. We organized that dinner to boost our team morale after a string of losses, and things were going well until I blacked out.”
He recounted the harrowing experience of waking up in a holding cell, disoriented and without a shirt, unable to recall the events that led him there. “I didn’t know what had happened. When the police approached me, I asked, ‘Why am I here, what did I do?’ They informed me, ‘You bit someone.’ I was shocked and asked, ‘Who did I bite?’ Then they showed me a picture of Pierre from the internet.”
At 30 years of age, Dakuwaqa was part of the distinguished squad that brought home Fiji’s gold medal in the 2016 Olympics, further highlighting the weight of his actions on both his career and personal integrity.
