Tuilaepa steps down as Chairman of Lakapi Samoa

By Lagi Keresoma

Apia, SAMOA – 9 March 2026: After months of a stand-off between the Lakapi Samoa management and the Prime Minister, Chairman of twenty-six years, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi stepped down in a special board meeting last Friday.

The stand-off was on the Prime Minister’s refusal to sign the $150 million five-year Australian funded rugby partnership development project for Tonga, Fiji and Samoa.

In a statement after the special meeting, Lakapi Samoa acknowledged “the conclusion of Tuilaepa’s Chairmanship tenure”.

However, in an interview on TV1 the same night, Tuilaepa said he realised that his tenure was up and it was time to step down as he had previously given other board members the  chance to attend World Rugby meetings to gain experience as part of a transition for Lakapi Samoa’s leadership.

Former Union President, Namulauulu Papalii Sami Leota now takes over from Tuilaepa as Lakapi Samoa’s Interim Chairman, and it is the Board that elects a new chairman.

Lakapi Samoa’s statement acknowledged Tuilaepa’s long service to Samoan Rugby.

“Tuilaepa first joined the Board of Lakapi Samoa in 1991 and went on to serve as Chairman for 26 years, providing leadership during an important period in the development of rugby in Samoa.

“Over more than three decades of service to Lakapi Samoa, including his long tenure as Chairman, Tuilaepa has been a steadfast supporter of the game and a prominent figure in the governance of rugby in Samoa. His leadership spanned a significant period in the Union’s history, during which Samoan rugby continued to strengthen its presence on the international stage while maintaining its deep roots within communities across the country.”

“Lakapi Samoa extends its best wishes to Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi and acknowledges his longstanding contribution to the game, as the Union continues its commitment to advancing rugby for the people of Samoa and future generations of Samoan players.”

Meanwhile, the stand-off between Lakapi Samoa management and the Prime Minister remains unresolved as the Prime Minister has emphasized in several public statements his view not to have anymore politicians on the rugby board given Samoan rugby’s current dismal international standing.

The Prime Minister said he will only sign the Australian funded rugby development partnership when that happens.

He has also indicated his view to establish a new union that has already drawn the support of former players and coaches and rugby supporters who have been calling for a change in management when Samoa’s rugby performance continued to slide backwards over the years and to its current levels.