The Government through its review of the Fiji National Sports Commission is considering setting up a framework that will help inspire and empower players and athletes for life after sport.
No such policy exists within the framework of the Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as the Fiji National Sports Commission, but discussions have been ongoing regarding the matter.
Ministry of Youth and Sports director Philip Hereniko said the framework, ‘Life after Sports’, is something the Government is seriously looking at.
This comment came after this newspaper questioned whether the Ministry is intending to have a protection policy for players following the death of rugby star Josaia Raisuqe who left behind his parents and family.
“The Sports Commission is in charge of sports development for the country and that is also part of our strategic plan for the Ministry to ensure that there is some sort of framework or policy as you mentioned that will be able to help establish and also empower our athletes in life after sports.
“It is something that we are also looking at, there is always a term to sports so it’s a very short time, it will at the most probably be 10 but then after that what else is there so the Government through the ministry is looking into it as well,” Hereniko stated.
Sports Commission executive chair Peter Mazey echoed similar sentiments.
“It’s not one that exists within our current government or the funding that we receive but it is an issue that has been under discussion for a long time,” he said.
However, bits and pieces of the discussed framework is being implemented into the development programs of the Sports Commission.
“The other thing that we are putting into our programs now is a lot of financial literacy training and so that’s helping not just our sports people but our organisation to reevaluate their planning going forward,” Mazey added.
Mazey pointed out that Fijian rugby league players in Australia have a similar program under the NRL and rugby union is trying its best to formulate something similar.
