ラグビー仏代表ヴァカタワ、心疾患により３０歳で現役引退

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】ラグビーフランスリーグ・トップ１４のラシン９２に所属するフランス代表ＣＴＢのヴィリミ・ヴァカタワが、心臓の疾患のため、３０歳で現役を引退することが決まった。（写真は東京で日本代表を相手にプレーするラグビーフランス代表のヴィリミ・ヴァカタワ＜右＞）
　ヴァカタワは６日に開いた会見で感極まった様子を見せ、朝起きて、もうチームメートと一緒に練習することがない事実をまだ受け止められないと話した。
　「この話をするのはつらい」というヴァカタワは、「けさ８時に起きて、もうみんなと一緒に練習場へ出ることはないのだと気づいた」と語り、「だけど一番つらかったのはきのうで、やめなければならないとチームメートに伝えたときだった」と明かした。
　「みんなとはピッチの内外で多くの時間を過ごしてきたから、簡単ではない」
　３日に行われたラシンの新シーズン開幕戦にも出場していなかったヴァカタワ。５日に引退を発表したクラブは、具体的な理由は示さずに医学的な理由とだけ説明していたが、この日の会見にはチームドクターも同席し、心臓の問題は２０１９年のＷ杯日本大会前に見つかっていたことが明かされた。
　医師は「彼は心臓の問題により、フランスでのキャリアを終わらせなければならない」と説明し、心臓の問題は２０１９年のＷ杯前に発見されたとした上で「ラグビーとは関係のないもので、継続的に経過を観察してきたが、徐々に悪化している」と明かした。
　今後もクラブには残り、選手以外の立場で関わっていく方向だという。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/09/08-13:35）

France international centre Virimi Vakatawa said in an emotional press conference on Tuesday it was hard to wake up and accept he would never train with his team-mates again having had to retire due to a heart defect.
The 30-year-old Fiji-born player's problem had surfaced prior to the 2019 Rugby World Cup revealed the doctor from his Top 14 club Racing 92 Sylvain Blanchard at the press conference.
Vakatawa -- who sat alongside France head coach Fabien Galthie, Racing handler Laurent Travers and club owner Jacky Lorenzetti -- said it was hard to come to terms with.
Whilst Lorenzetti said it was almost like losing a son Vakatawa was more restrained in his comparisons even if he was as emotional.
It is tough for me to talk, he said.
This morning, I got up at eight o'clock and I knew I would not be running out onto the training ground with the others.
But the hardest thing was yesterday: when I told my team-mates I had to stop.
I spent a lot of time with them both on and off the pitch....it is not easy.
Vakatawa had not featured in Racing's season opener on Saturday, a 25-19 win over Castres, and on Monday the club had announced his career was over for unspecified medical reasons.
Blanchard added the necessary detail on Tuesday.
He has to finish his career in France due to a cardiological problem, said Blanchard.
A heart defect was detected before the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
This defect which was not connected to rugby, has been constantly kept under observation but it is progressively deteriorating.
However, this is not the end for him, it is the beginning of something new.
Galthie said the 32-times-capped Vakatawa would be sorely missed -- he last played in France's 20-15 victory in Japan in July but due to injury was not a member of the Six Nations Grand Slam winning squad.
Virimi allowed a lot of children to dream of what could be achieved, said Galthie, who took over the France job after the 2019 World Cup.
He was a key player in our adventure, in our history and a wonderful man.
What he is experiencing now, by sharing with us he can continue to be a role model to all.
He scored 49 tries for the club he joined aged 17 with his 145th and last club game Racing's 20-13 loss to La Rochelle in the European Champions Cup semi-final in May.
He is still here, he will be present on the touchline: instead of being an actor, he will do something else but he will be part of the project, said Travers.
His life is rugby, it is Racing 92.
We will do our bit to aid him, that he will always be part of the club that he gave so much to.
Racing 92 have filled the massive void left by Vakatawa's retirement by signing experienced centre Francis Saili from Biarritz.
The 31-year-old -- capped twice by the All Blacks -- has played in Europe since 2015 first with Irish province Munster (2015/17) and then English Premiership outfit Harlequins (2017/2)).