‘New’ sports bubble?
Fiji, NZ to establish sporting circuit? Involves more sports and not only rugby. Big boost for local provincial teams, clubs. No Super Rugby game here in 2020.
The Fiji National Sports Commission executives are exploring avenues of establishing a sporting circuit which involves Fiji and New Zealand. This was revealed yesterday by Commission chairman, Peter Mazey, who also confirmed that Fiji would not be hosting a Super Rugby game, this year.
Speaking to SUNsports, Mazey who is also the Fiji Sports Council executive chair, said discussions are on the way to have New Zealand provincial teams and clubs playing against their Fijian counterparts. “No, we are not having Super Rugby this year but it’s not to say that we are not talking about other things,” he said.
“That is part of our discussions with New Zealand. I don’t think it’s going to be called Super Rugby for very long.
“Talking to New Zealand they are certainly very keen in a Fijian team to be part of whatever their new tournament is.
“We maybe have provincial games played in Fiji. Games such as football, rugby, netball or any other sport. It’s not only rugby.
“The discussions we had earlier on is maybe Waikato, Manuwatu playing Nadi or Lautoka rugby the same will be for the netball teams.”
Mazey said it’s almost like Fiji being part of the New Zealand circuit or New Zealand becoming part of our circuit.
“I think because there has been a lot of changes. I think the whole world has looked at things differently even there was no mention of why now?
“This is because New Zealand can’t play in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment either they can’t even go to Australia to play so who are they going to play with. “It’s been a on the drawing board for quite some time so we need to spread sports more and not just the national teams.”
Safe sports accreditation
Meanwhile, 11 sporting bodies received their Safe Sports Fiji accreditation from the Commission.
The sports are rugby, tennis, squash, bowls, karate, gymnastic, football, yachting, cycling Fiji, cricket, bowling and Aussie rules.
Mazey said the responsibilities were on the sporting bodies now. “Government has stressed the new guidelines and making sure that everything is in place. Our protocol as sporting bodies is to put it and say now we are certifying all sporting bodies,” he said.
“This will assists them in been part of these international tournaments and also it shows that they have followed Government guidelines and protocols.
“They will now conduct safe training for the teams before they move to smaller clubs.”
Cricket Fiji has confirmed that the T10 Bula Bash League gets underway at Albert Park, Suva and Nadi’s Namaka Public School on Saturday.
The event will be from June 27 to July 25.