FIJI’S next generation of sporting champions will not be built on medals alone, but through stronger grassroots programmes, better-trained coaches and safe environments for young athletes.
That was the message from International Olympic Committee (IOC) Head of Sports Development Unit Sheila Stephens-Desbans when she visited the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) House in Flagstaff, Suva, yesterday.
Stephens-Desbans said Fiji must continue investing in school and club programmes to ensure more young people benefit from sport, regardless of whether they reach the Olympic Games.
“The Olympics is a very limited number of people who will go to the Games,” she said.
She stressed that coaches, officials and volunteers deserved greater recognition for their contribution to developing athletes and creating safe sporting environments for boys and girls.
While acknowledging Fiji’s established athlete development pathways, Stephens-Desbans said sporting organisations must continually assess their progress and identify opportunities to improve.
She encouraged FASANOC and its Athletes’ Commission to continue reviewing their strategies and strengthening support for athletes at every level.
For Fiji, the challenge is to ensure that sporting success at the highest level is supported by a strong foundation at home.
With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2032 Brisbane Games approaching, sustained investment in grassroots sport could prove critical to producing future champions.
Stephens-Desbans’ message was clear: building a successful sporting nation means investing not only in those who reach the podium, but also in the people and programmes that make their journeys possible.
