Broke, drunk and depressed: how ‘King of Sevens’ Waisale Serevi hit rock bottom after being sacked by Fiji
A new book tracking the life of the ‘little master’ tells how a decorated career at the top gave him everything but money
He spent a lifetime at the pinnacle of his sport and brought joy to the hearts of fans the world over, but when all was said and done Waisale Serevi was broke and at rock bottom.
It might be hard to believe, but a combination of his own generosity, low wages in his homeland and mismanagement while playing abroad resulted in the “King of Sevens” facing ruin at the end of his playing and coaching career in 2009.
A new book tracking the life of the ‘little master’ – Waisale Serevi, The King of Sevens – outlines how the sport’s greatest player was left with nothing to show for decades at the top.
“A lifetime of generosity – supporting his extended family, teammates and community – had left him in serious financial trouble,” the book says.
“Over his career Serevi had been well taken care of with his employers in Japan, England and France feeding, clothing and sheltering both he and his family.