KEY POINTS:
The Government has agreed to rush through visas for the Fijian football team, allowing them to come to New Zealand for a World Cup qualification match against the All Whites.
New Zealand Football appealed to Immigration Minister David Cunliffe for help after a date change meant the Fijian
team would not have enough time to apply for visas to come to this country for a game this Saturday.
Political relations between New Zealand and Fiji are in a delicate state after a military coup in the Pacific nation last year.
New Zealand has imposed a wide range of sanctions on Fiji, including banning travel to this country for anyone with connections to the military.
That meant Fiji's first choice goalkeeper, Simione Tamanisau, had his application declined because his father-in-law is in the military.
"The goalkeeper was clearly covered by our sanctions regime," a spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said.
"New Zealand is a sovereign nation which has the right to decide who enters New Zealand and who doesn't."
The spokesman said Mr Cunliffe had agreed to rush through the visa applications, as the date change for the game had been a decision taken elsewhere, without consideration for the time needed to process the paperwork.
"We agreed to speed up the process because it wasn't really anyone's fault," he said.
The problem arose after the Oceania Football Confederation brought forward the game between New Zealand and the second-placed team - Fiji - at last month's South Pacific Games in Samoa from November 17 to this week, with the return in Lautoka next Wednesday.
In making a late application for visas, the one-month deadline was missed and now needs special dispensation.
New Zealand Football faced rescheduling the game or moving it to a neutral venue, with a resultant loss of ticket sales, sponsorship and television rights money.
Chief executive Graham Seatter said late yesterday he hoped the visas would be issued this morning, allowing the Fijians to fly to Auckland as planned tomorrow.
"The Government is still not conclusive on when they will be issuing the visas," said Mr Seatter. "But they gave a reasonable indication they will do it [issue the visas].
"Cabinet made a decision that any exemptions to this rule would have to be made and approved by the Ministers of Immigration, Sport and Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister, who only arrived back in the country yesterday."
In the meantime, the Fijian FA went to Fifa to say they felt the game should not be played.
"They complained that it was unfair but Fifa came back saying as long as they can travel on Thursday, the game should go ahead as planned."
Auckland's Fijian community is expected to support the visiting team in large numbers at North Harbour Stadium. This year's Oceania club final between Fijian champions Ba and Waitakere United attracted a crowd of 9000 to Mt Smart.
