Sport in Fiji

The national sport of Fiji is considered to be Rugby Union, however Rugby League is also widely played.

Sports culture is unique as different racial mixes and cultures come together in a common interest, Fiji is fanatical about sports and the two most dominant being rugby and soccer.

Fiji Sports Council

The Fiji Sports Council is an organisation incharge of organising International tournaments for Fiji athletes. It is also affiliated to FASANOC. The organisation is headed by its Chairman Tom Ricketts (Fiji politician)

It is also one of the leading provider of quality sports & recreational facilities & programs at national, regional and international levels. It was established in 1978 under the Fiji Sports Council Act and year later in 1979, it hosted the first South Pacific Games. It was recently incharge of hosting the 2007 Netball World Championships which was to be held in Suva but due to the 2006 Military coup, the venue was shifted to New Zealand and Fiji lost out in hosting the biggest event of the year.

Rugby union

The national team is quite talented and has competed at five Rugby World Cups, the first being in 1987. Their best results were at the 1987 and 2007 World Cups where they reached the quarter finals. Fiji also competes in the Pacific Tri-Nations and the Pacific Nations Cup. The Fiji sevens team is one of the most successful rugby 7s team in the world. They have won 2 Sevens World Cup titles and the 2005/06 IRB Sevens Series. They have also won a number of Hong Kong Sevens titles which is considered the most prestigious annual international Sevens tournament.

The sport is governed by the Fiji Rugby Union which is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, and contributes to the Pacific Islanders rugby union team. At the club level there are the Colonial Cup and Pacific Rugby Cup.

Rugby league

Rugby league is a popular team sport played in Fiji. The Fijian rugby league competition consists of nine teams.

Fiji has produced some of the finest rugby league players in the world. Notable examples include Lote Tuqiri and Petero Civoniceva, both of whom have played for Australia in international test matches, Queensland in the State of Origin series and the Brisbane Broncos in Australian club grand final victories.

occer

Soccer was a minor sport but over the last decade with further international funding from FIFA and sound local management of the sport has grown in popularity amongst the Indian community initially but now also the Fijian community.

In Fiji Islands operates a fan club of the Greek football club PAOK FC. The fan club's name is PAOK Fiji Islands Fan Club.Fact|date=January 2008

Australian rules football

While there is not currently an organised league in Fiji, the country is notable in Australian Football as several players of Fijian descent play professionally in the Australian Football League, including Port Adelaide
David Rodan and Alipate Carlile and Carlton's Setanta Ó hAilpín.

Australian rules football has been played sporadically in Fiji, with efforts starting using Australian police officers based in the capital Suva in 2004. [ [http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php?story=20040802091700949 Fiji footy gets the ball rolling] ] A planned league never came to fruition, however a governing body was formed, the Fijian Australian Football Association with a partial promotional role and a failed bid was made for inclusion of the sport into the 2007 South Pacific Games. [ [http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php?story=20040823070058971 Football's South Pacific Paradise] by Brett Northey for World Footy News. September 04 2004]

The Australia Network began televising games in Fiji in 2002.

David Rodan has acted as an international ambassador for the sport and has a passion to see the sport succeed in Fiji. [ [http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21991520%255E19770,00.html Rodan plans to put Fiji on footy map] ]

Nicholas Naitanui, AIS graduate [ [http://www.ais.org.au/austrules/naitanui.asp] AIS Athlete profile: Nicholas Naitanui] and best on ground in the Western Australian Under 18s squad which won the Under 18s Australian Football championship is an almost certain pick for the 2008 AFL Draft. [ [http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22059292%255E19742,00.html] WA midfield pick of crop]

Outrigger Paddling

Outrigger paddling or Va'a has been in Fiji for many years now. It has grown to be a strong and competitive sport. Part of the South Pacific Games, it is integral to the unique identity of the pacific people. Outrigger Fiji is the National Federation overseeing the sport and its regularly run regattas and events.There are a few clubs in and around Fiji. Here is a link to one of them [http://www.takiapaddler.com/ Takia Outrigger Canoe Club Fiji]

Other Sports

Many sports exist in Fiji, and in many ways has its on cultural following. There are sports such as golf-which has been made famous by Fiji athlete Vijay Singh-cricket, surfing, windsurfing-which was brought to prominence by former world champion and Fiji Athlete Tony Philps-Sailing in varying forms, various adventure sports, athletics, various Asian martial arts, and boxing.

Famous Fijian sportspeople

*Jimmy Snuka professional wrestler & his son Jimmy Snuka Jr.
* Vijay Singh, a professional golfer.
* Waisale Serevi, a world-renowned sevens rugby player, is from Fiji. Commentators refer to him as the magician, or maestro also the King of Sevens. No.1 sevens player in the world with William Ryder closely following his footsteps
* Lote Tuqiri, dual code international for Australia in rugby league and rugby union, and former captain of the Fiji national rugby league team.
*Petero Civoniceva, representative footballer for the Australia national rugby league team.
*Sitiveni Sivivatu and Joe Rokocoko are Fijians who play for New Zealand's All Blacks.
*Rupeni Caucau plays for a French rugby union club.
*David Rodan and Alipate Carlile, professional Australian rules footballers in the Australian Football League.
*Makelesi Bulikiobo, athlete.
*Valerie Nainima, basketball player.

port in precolonial Fiji

Sport in old Fiji, apart from recreation, had a practical place helping train young warriors. One such a practice would have the older men bring the male children a severally injured captive of war, allowing the boys would practice their archery skills against this living target. Other sports of old Fiji, which are no longer practiced in modern Fiji, are as follows:

Tiqa or Ulutoa

Was a sport which involved an individual throwing from the forefinger a reed three or four feet in length armed with a six inch oval point of heavy wood. This weapon is made to skim along the ground to a distance of a hundred yards or more. In ancient times, many villages had a long level space kept clear of grass for this sport nearby. It was a competition of both accuracy and distance. [Fiji and the Fijians P162]

Veisaga

Was a sport practiced in some parts of Fiji on a large scale. A group of men and women would assemble on a hill top to wrestle. If a man closes with a woman, he will attempt to throw her and on succeeding they both roll together. Minor injuries would often occur from this but they were concealed by the participants as a matter of pride. If pain was shown then intense ridicule would follow [Fiji and the Fijians P162] .

Veisolo

Was rather a rough sport, and at times it resulted in death. It involved an attack made on a number of visiting males by a woman. The women waited until the food was brought to the men, and would then rush their guests with the intent to cause them to scatter so they could take their food. Playful retaliation would follow by the men gently throwing the women to the ground; However, this would sometimes get out of hand and there were instances where men were killed [Fiji and the Fijians P162, 163] .

References

External links

* [http://www.paokfiji.tk PAOK Fiji Islands Fan Club]