Fiji continues to lobby for inclusion in Commonwealth Games

Updated September 25, 2009 13:49:19

Fiji's Commonwealth Games Committee says it will put its case for inclusion in next year's Commonwealth Games at the meeting of the Games Federation next month. When it suspended Fiji at the start of the month, the Commonwealth said that also meant exclusion from the sporting event. But Fiji sporting officials are refusing to accept that judgement, saying a decision by the Commonwealth Secretariat is separate to the Commonwealth Games Federation. Next month the ruling council of the federation will meet in New Delhi, and make its decision. But as Campbell Cooney reports, Fiji has already been working to change the Federation's Constitution, to ensure a ruling in its favour.

Presenter: Campbell Cooney
Speakers: Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive, Mike Hooper; Fiji's Commonwealth Games Committee President, Vidhya Lakhan

COONEY: When the Commonwealth suspended Fiji at the start of the September due to the military backed interim government's refusal to allow elections next year, the Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma stated that meant the country would not be able to take part in the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi next year.

But Fiji's Commonwealth Games Committee has refused to accept that decision. The President of the Committee, Vidhya Lakhan is currently in the Cook Islands for the Pacific Mini Games where he spoke to Radio Australia's Clement Paligaru.

LAKHAN: It's somewhat a statement that is attributed to Mr Kamalesh Sharma, who's the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Games Secretariat. He has said that Fiji's fully suspended, and in another paragraph he says whilst Fiji remains in the Commonwealth they cannot take part in the Commonwealth Games. Now according to the Commonwealth Games Federation Charter if your country is a member of the Commonwealth then you retain your membership of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

COONEY: The Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Mike Hooper, says the final decision on if Fiji does or does not send a team to New Delhi will be made next month.

HOOPER: So Fiji itself has not considered the matter. We have received under separate government letter from the Secretary General's office basically outlining the position with Fiji confirming to us formally that Fiji's membership rights have been "fully suspended, and that their membership is in abeyance". What our position will now be is that the matter will be considered at a meeting of our executive board on the 11th of October, it's not for me to take a determination or decision on such matters. At that meeting, Vidhya Lakhan, the President of FASANOC will be invited along with the Secretary General to make any representations they see fit. And whatever determination our board makes will then go before our general assembly the following day on October the 12th in Delhi.

COONEY: Would it be fair enough to say though the Commonwealth's position would be a strong one and one that would be very seriously considered by the Games Federation?

HOOPER: Based on what has gone before Nigeria was suspended in 1995 to 1999 and did not participate in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur as a result. But again there may be other considerations that not formally and ?? a series of constitutional changes that would facilitate on … by any country that found itself in this position. Now whether that will get supporters or not again is a matter for the general assembly to determine.