Sanctions a non-starter as Olympic athletes embrace Fiji

By EUGENE BINGHAM

In a classic case of politics not mixing with sport, the international pariah label has not stuck to Fiji.

The troubled nation's team have settled into the Olympic Village in Sydney and found a warm embrace rather than a cold shoulder.

Just four months after their democratically elected Government was deposed at gunpoint, Fijians will march alongside the world's other nations at the Games opening ceremony tonight.

So much for the tough talk of sporting sanctions - New Zealand and Australia's decision to cut sporting ties could not prevent Fiji from competing under International Olympic Committee rules.

And New Zealand did not want to boycott the Games over the George Speight-led coup and the dramatic departure from democracy.

For the seven athletes who will march behind the Fiji flag tonight, the events of May 19 barely made an impact on their preparations.

Most had been based overseas throughout this year, chef de mission John May said yesterday.

Judo competitor Nacanieli Qerawaqa and women's weightlifter Kesaia Tawai were the only two team-members who have spent much time in Fiji lately.

The others were living mainly in Australia, trying to focus on training rather than the political turmoil at home.

May said there were worries that the overthrow of the Government would cut off funding for athletes. But after the interim Administration was installed in July, the money flowed through.

Sport-wise, matters are returning to normal in Fiji - so much so that interim Minister of Sport Keni Dakuivreketi and a party of officials arrived from Suva yesterday to check out Sydney's facilities.

Fiji wants to host the 2003 Pacific Games.

The team are in the Oceania sector of the athletes village, nestled alongside other Pacific nations.

Though the Fijians do not live near the New Zealanders, the two countries share a facility in central Sydney, a drop-in centre for the nations of Oceania.

The only athletes to be hit by the bans and politicians' tough-talk were swimmers Caroline Pickering and Carl Probert, who were blocked from participating as a team in the Ocean championships in Christchurch several months ago.

They were able to take part as individuals.

"It has all died down since then," said May.

Mistral boardsailer Tony Philp, Fiji's greatest hope, will proudly lead the team into Stadium Australia tonight.

Philp is ranked eighth in the world and May believes the five-time Olympian has a chance of landing a medal.

And how his country would party if an athlete delivered something to celebrate in the next two weeks.