Although majority of the PGC’s five-member Charter Review Committee favors to allow expatriates to compete in the Pacific Games, the committee, as a whole has yet to decide whether to recommend the proposed revisions to eligibility rule.
Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association President Michael A. White who is one of the committee members relayed the matter to the local members citing the importance of the proposed amendments in the PGC Charter’s Article 25.
The revisions, he said would restore the eligibility requirements for Pacific Games participants the way it was prior to the Apia Games of 2003 when non-citizens of participating countries or territories were also allowed to compete as long as they are resident for five years.
White said the proposed amendments maybe put to a vote when the council meets in Cook Islands later this year, adding that “there is a broad range of views on the question of eligibility, and I would expect the debate to be vigorous and the vote to be interesting.”
The proposed amendments provides that “be either a citizen of the country/territory the athlete is to represent at the Games and a resident of that country/territory for a period of not less than five years (cumulatively, whether consecutive or not); or, if not a citizen of the country/territory the athlete is to represent, be a resident of the country/territory for a consecutive period of five years up to and including the deadline for individual entries.”
The charter means the “citizen” as the holder of a current valid and applicable passport of the country/territory the athlete represents, and “applicable passport” for territories is are USA – American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, New Zealand – Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau, Australia – Norfolk Island, France – French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna.
The Committee has met twice to review the Charter and focus on what parts of it “are not conducive to delivering a good game, hamper good governance and provide difficulties for the Pacific Game Associations.
Tevita Topou, chairman of Charter Review Committee noted in a report that much of the discussions in these meetings were about the eligibility rule, yet the recommendation concerning this “is not clear cut.”
For this, he favors a recommendation to call another meeting with representatives of PGC and other groups involved.
It should be held as soon as possible, because they “have to get the eligibility issue resolved so that PGAs will know who is eligible for the 2009 Mini Games and who is not.”
The Charter is expected to be adopted in the Council Meeting in Cook Islands.
