Wansolwara News

Vol. 5 No. 2
June 2000

Page 15

FUTURE OF FIJI SPORTS NOW
'IN LIMBO', SAYS MITCHELL

By SHERYL HO

SPORTS in Fiji faces great uncertainties while there is a battle for political power in the name of indigenous rights.

Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) president Dr Robin Mitchell said the immediate effects of our current political problems locally is mainly cancellation of local sporting events, particularly those scheduled to take place in Suva.

ÒOne of the worrying features though is the withdrawal of sponsorship of established sporting events, and in particular the withdrawal of Carlton BreweryÕs sponsorship of the Fiji Open which is a major event in the annual golf programme,Ó Dr Mitchell said.

ÒThis trend may continue if there is no resolution of the hostage crisis in Parliament.Ó At an international level, the future of sports will be depend on the political outcome of the current crisis.

ÒIf overseas countries view the outcome as outside current norms, then it is likely that FijiÕs international sporting contacts may be affected,Ó Dr Mitchell said. He said Don McKinnon, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, warned on this possibilty in his recent press conference.

ÒOver the past 12 years the Gleneagles agreement has given more definitive guidelines to sporting practice and the consequences of violation of these codes of behaviour,Ó he said. Dr Mitchell explained that if FijiÕs membership of the Commonwealth is suspended, then the sports that are affected are FijiÕs most popular sports namely netball, rugby and to lesser extent cricket.

FASANOC will not be able to do much if countries do boycott FijiÕs participation at regional and international meets as mandated by its charter is a multiracial organisation whose core business is sport. ÒWe (FASANOC) have very little control of the circumstances as the decisions will be based on FijiÕs political status and not its sporting organisation or administration,Ó Dr Mitchell said.

As for the South Pacific Games, delays have been caused by government policies.

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