EIGHTEEN players of the Labasa soccer side have been suspended after they allegedly threatened the Labasa Football Association last week.
During the Courts Inter-District Champions in Ba over the weekend, Labasa players refused to play in their last pool game against Nadroga.
Labasa Football Association interim secretary Nilesh Lal told Times Sport players demanded money from the association before the match.
He said players blackmailed the association before they beat Nadroga 3-0.
"The players demanded $300 each which was $5700 before they played against Nadroga but we did not have that amount and so we gave them $100 each so in total $1900," Lal claimed.
"If we did not play in the match, Fiji Football Association would have fined us $5000 so we paid the players to play," he said.
"After the tournament, all local players except for Papua New Guinean Wira Wama, were suspended pending investigations as we heard rumours some fans and officials incited the players."
He said when investigations were completed the names of the officials involved would be revealed.
"This tactic used by the players and officials is wrong and we told them that under our administration we won't let Labasa be called a $2 team again but with the way they demanded money it seems they wanted to use all the money in our bank accounts."
Lal said Labasa's poor performance at the tournament was not intentional.
"Our players tried their best but their best was not enough. We did want to defend our title but other teams came out strongly against us and prevented us from qualifying for the semi-final," he said.