Pacific Games Council president Vidya Lakhan has refuted the so-called clarification by the Minister for Youth and Sports that “anyone with links to Fiji can represent the country in sporting activities, even without a Fijian passport”.

“The minister has been misled, ill-advised and ill-informed,” Lakhan said.

“I blame the advisors and the persons who write the minister’s speech is providing the minister with wrong information.”

Lakhan said the eligibility criterion for athletes to take part in international sporting events was the domain of the event owners.

“They determine who can and who cannot participate in their events,” Lakhan said.

“It is not determined by the country of participating athletes.

“By way of illustration let me inform the general public that to participate in the Pacific Games, an athlete must hold the passport of the country, he Minister for Youth and Sports, Jese Saukuru for a minimum of five years.”

Lakhan confirmed entry into the Games was by passport.

“It does not matter whether you have ancestral links to Fiji or are on the VKB (Vala ni Kawa Bula) or have lived here for 50 years.

“If you do not have a passport of the country you want to represent, you cannot participate in the Pacific Games.”

Lakhan said the wishes to represent and he or she must have lived in that country Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games also required athletes to carry the passport of the country they wished to participate for at the Games.

“In addition to the passport requirements, there are also other eligibility criterias athletes must meet and this varies to some extent from Games to Games.

“Therefore, I just want to warn the athletes of Fiji, please do not get carried away by the minister’s statement.

“If you want to take part in the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands in November or any other international Games, please get a Fiji passport, if you don’t have one,” he added.

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