“Sport has the power to unite people in a way little else can. Sport can create hope where there was once only despair. It breaks down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of discrimination. Sport speaks to people in a language they can understand.”
- Nelson Mandela
***Update: 25 January 2010
In early January we filed our appeal with the COURT OF ARBITRATION OF SPORTS in Lausanne, Switzerland. We have asked that if possible the matter be resolved at the latest by end of March 2010.
You will appreciate our athletes are training and preparing to go to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games which will be held in early October this year. Therefore there is urgency for this matter to be resolved as soon as possible.
FASANOC has opted for a three member tribunal and has nominated a QC from New Zealand as its nominee on the panel. The Commonwealth Games Federation will also be invited to nominate a candidate and CAS will appoint the third member, who I suspect will be the Chairperson.
Without going into much detail I wish to inform you that our appeal is based on the fact that, in our view, the Commonwealth Games Federation has erred in the interpretation and application of its own constitution.
The CGF Constitution very clearly states that “all competitors must be citizens or subjects of the Commonwealth Country that enters them.” It has been confirmed to us by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Secretariat that, even though Fiji is fully suspended, it is still a member of the Commonwealth. If this is the case then Fijian athletes, in our view, can participate in the Delhi Games.
Furthermore, the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly has not taken the decision to either expel or suspend us from the CGF. We maintain that we are still a member of the CGF.
We need CAS to determine these issues for us.
VIDHYA LAKHAN
President, FASANOC
Update: 1 December 2009
We are disappointed in the decision taken by the Commonwealth Heads Of Government (CHOGM) yesterday to prevent Fijian athletes from taking part in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
This has obviously been a great disappointment for all the athletes hoping to take part.
We totally disagree with this decision. In our view it is tantamount to political interference in sports.
As such we will now be taking the matter up to the Court of Arbitration for Sports for a resolution.
In the meantime we urge you and your friends to continue your support for Fijian athletes who are being discriminated against by politicians.
We take this opportunity to thank the Malaysian Government for speaking up for our athletes. We are however, very disappointed to learn that many others who had offered to support us did not speak up.
Thank you to all who have supported us by signing the petition so far.
Vidhya Lakhan
President, FASANOC
**Athlete Profiles are online**
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has fully suspended Fiji from the Commonwealth and ruled that Fiji athletes will therefore not be allowed to compete in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.
The CMAG in that same announcement confirmed that Fiji remained a member of the Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Secretariat has reaffirmed that Fiji people are still Commonwealth Citizens.
At the recent Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly, the Assembly was of the unanimous view that Fiji should be allowed to participate, as Sports is above politics and innocent athletes must not be punished.
This website is for the sports loving people and the athletes of Fiji who will bear the brunt of the suspension if Fiji athletes can’t compete.
In order for Fiji athletes to be able to compete, sport needs to be removed by the Commonwealth Heads of Government as an item upon which sanctions can be imposed. They have the power to do just that at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad from 27-29 November.
On behalf of the Fiji athletes in line to go to the Delhi Games, please join us and ask CHOGM to recognise that sports is a powerful vehicle for peace building, unity and conflict resolution, to separate sport from politics and to “Let Fiji Play!”
The Fiji Commonwealth Games Association (FASANOC – the governing and administrative body of the Fiji Commonwealth Games Team) is a completely autonomous Non-Government Organisation.
Sign our Petition and help the people and athletes of Fiji.
