Sporting federations demand answers from FASANOC

The failure to make a strong and competitive bid for Fiji to host the 2031 South Pacific Games remains a major concern for many sporting federations across the country and this has also resulted in former 5-time Olympic swimmer Carl Probert questioning the lack of preparation and plans from the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC).

Probert expressed his concerns on why Fiji lost the bid to Tonga since FASANOC had ample time to prepare a strong bid for the games.

He says it took two to three people to bid for Fiji and they did not consult other sporting federations and experienced people like former Secretary-General and Executive Board Member, Atma Maharaj.

He is also making a call for the sporting federations to make the request to FASANOC on how the bid was prepared and presented.

Probert says it seems they rushed with the bid and did not present a good argument to the Games Council.

He says the decisions made during the bid were based on emotions as Tonga filled a plane full of delegation including their Prime Minister to bid for Tonga.

Probert says losing the bid means a lot to our economy, as sports is a big revenue earner for the country, and bringing the games home in 2031 would have also provided a good pathway for the Olympics in 2032 in Brisbane.

President of Athletics Fiji, Jioji Liga says they are waiting for the reply from FASANOC on what really transpired in the bidding.

He says they are disappointed with FASANOC on the outcome of the bid.

Liga says he waiting for the reply from FASANOC.

National sporting federations who are part of Fiji Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee or FASANOC, are still calling for answers and accountability after Fiji’s failed bid presented by FASANOC to host the Pacific Games in 2031.

President of Fiji Weightlifting Federation, Della Shaw-Elder says they want answers as there was no consultation with the national sporting federations on the bid before it was presented.

She says the sporting bodies are awaiting answers and it will be interesting to know what Fiji had offered on the values of progression in the bid.

Shaw-Elder says the only document they saw was a survey that was given out to all sports federations if Fiji was to host, what are the technical details that each sporting body was to give out.

She says apart from that, there was no consultation on the bid.

Shaw-Elder says as far as she is concerned, no one has seen this bid document except the people that went to conduct the bid. She says it is really unfortunate that Fiji lost the bid.

Questions are being raised by sporting federations on whether we spoke to other countries and lobbied for them to support our bid, whether Fiji’s bid presentation went beyond time and had to be cut short and Matalita Buadromo did not get the chance to even speak.

One of the board members of FASANOC says judging from the reactions from the national sporting federations, they need to look at the FASANOC board and their role as a board as they represent the federations.

The board member says even some of them on the board do not know what is in the bid document and there was no consultation with the board.

They meet next Saturday to thrash out these matters.

When questioned by fijivillage News, FASANOC CEO, Vanessa Kilner says FASANOC President, Makarita Lenoa’s press statement 5 days after the bid announcement was released to the national sports federations, the Minister for Youth and Sports, Permanent Secretary for Youth and Sports, Fiji Sports Council Executive Board and Fiji National Sports Commission CEO. Kilner says whilst they are all shocked and disappointed at the bid outcome given that the Risk Assessment Report showed a low risk for Fiji; rest assured Fiji's bid were within guidelines and protocols as stipulated by the Pacific Games Council.

She says the bid document was submitted in April with the full support of the various national federations and the Fiji Government, none of whom they could have done without, these stakeholders were also consulted by the Pacific Games Council during the in-country visit and assessment that contributed to the risk assessment report in July.

Kilner says they are all understandably upset which might cloud some memories and judgement of this entire process, but this process did not start in October when the presentation was made or when the voting took place but rather from much earlier in the year with the relevant stakeholders.

She says the presentation was a visual representation of the bid document that had already been submitted 5 months prior.

Kilner says every country that bids desires to win but the decision on who wins the bid is determined by the Pacific Games Council member countries that vote.

Probert asks why about 3 people were involved in FASANOC bid for the 2031 Pacific Games

Why sporting federations and people like Atma Maharaj were not consulted - Probert