The Fiji sevens team should split from the Fijian Rugby Union to improve the management of the side, according to Ben Ryan.
Ryan, who led Fiji to the gold medal at Rio 2016, believes the separation would allow firmer commercial foundations for the sevens team. He claims that only Uganda and Samoa's players are being paid less than the Fijians.
"I think it would be an incredibly popular decision from the people of Fiji if the sevens team was moved away from the FRU," Ryan told ABC. "Of course [the FRU] would have someone on the board of the new commercial franchise.
"But it would be run commercially, transparently and for the first time you would get proper funding coming in without any worries around governance, having to pay off debt from various other things.
"If the government actually pushed this, if they decided we'd be better off having an independent commercial franchise, backed by World Rugby and the government and the FRU, it would be a hugely popular decision."
Ryan continued: "What does alarm me is we have one of the most marketable, iconic sports teams, they won back-to-back World Series titles, [they are] Olympic gold medallists.
"If we can't market them properly and get their value and what they're worth so the boys and the programme can get the money and resources that they need, then I think it's time for us to look at the whole system."
The FRU criticised Ryan last week for some of his comments on twitter in the wake of the first two legs of the World Sevens Series, saying their former boss was finding it hard to let go of the team. Ryan responded by calling their statement "childish".