The Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee’s (FASANOC) Selection Justification Commission (SJC) has completed the process of ensuring the selection of the best and/or qualified coaches and team managers who will be members of Team Fiji to the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands in November this year.
FASANOC senior Team Fiji administrator Jane Niubalavu says the role of the SJC is to vet the team officials to ensure they meet the team managers and coaches selection criteria.
“Implementation of the FASANOC Team Officials Minimum Selection Policy will apply when the final teams are named and they vet the athletes according to the NFs selection criteria which will include the FASANOC Athlete Minimum Selection Policy relevant for the 2023 Pacific Games,” Niubalavu said.
She says a decision will be made by SJC on those who did not meet the minimum selection criteria.
“This could mean some managers and coaches do not meet the Oceania Sports Education Programme (OSEP) or equivalent international federation (IF) standard may not be selected. This is to ensure that all coaches and/or managers are suitably qualified for the positions.
“As per our selection criteria for team officials, they need to have either an international federation level 2 certification or have completed the relevant OSEP courses.”
Niubalavu said there could be another round of SJC meetings whereby those that failed to meet the requirements could have another chance to apply, if they were able to become suitably qualified.
“FASANOC is currently organising OSEP courses focusing on the needs of officials and entourage to the Pacific Games. The courses will be held in the upcoming months and national federations will be kept informed about these opportunities,” she said.
Niubalavu says the SJC comprises of five members which includes an athletes representative, the Chef de Mission, also attends the interviews as an observer but no involvement in the selection of team officials.
Team Fiji Chef de Mission Ajay Ballu said the SJC would ensure that only the best qualified coach and manager would be approved to be members of Team Fiji.
“As we have said in the past, we are not going for a holiday but to ensure that Team Fiji produces results,” Ballu said.
“And that starts with the process of selecting the right and most qualified people to be coaches and managers.”
Ballu said he was thankful to the members of the SJC, all of whom have given their personal time to volunteer and ensure the fair implementation of the FASANOC Team Officials Minimum Selection Policy.
Meanwhile, FASANOC’s executive board met last week to discuss recommendations on the four general managers that will be a part of Team Fiji’s administrative team to assist the Chef De Mission.
Ballu said the general managers that have been approved and that will assist him during the games include Wayne O’Connor, Anushil Kumar, Rosalia Fatiaki, Josaia Tuinamata and Dr Jone Nasome, who will head the medical team.
The Pacific Games will include the following sports: Archery, Athletics and Para, Basketball, Basketball including 3×3, Bodybuilding, Boxing, Football, Beach Soccer, Futsal, Golf, Hockey, Judo, Karate, Netball, Outrigger Canoeing, Powerlifting, Rugby League Nines, Rugby Sevens, Sailing, Swimming, Table Tennis& Para, Taekwondo, Tennis, Touch Rugby, Triathlon, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball and Weightlifting.
The 2023 Pacific Games is scheduled to be held in Honiara, Solomon Islands for the first time between November 19 and December 2, 2023.
