Levuka Lifters Stay Out Of Suva Meeting
The Levuka Weightlifting Club will continue their boycott on representing Fiji in protest of the appointment of Hossein Tavakoli as national head coach.
Club president Peni Tawai said they would not attend the trials today and the meeting tomorrow at the Fiji Olympic House organised by the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC).
“Our decision is final and our boycott continues unless our four conditions are met,” Tawai said.
“These are:
- Removal of the coach Tavakoli;
- Reinstating of Joe Vueti as national coach;
- Eileen Cikamatana should be left undisturbed at the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in Noumea; nThe International Olympic Committee scholarship athletes (Eileen, Apolonia Vaivai, Manueli Tulo) must be paid fully and should be given their IOC scholarship financial breakdown.”
Weightlifting Fiji requested FASANOC’s assistance to mediate on the issue.
The delegation consisted of Makarita Lenoa (vice-president FASANOC), Dr Robin Mitchell (Fiji Hockey Federation president), Manasa Baravilala (Boxing Fiji president) and Makelesi Batimala (athletes representative) travelled to Levuka on May 30 to get the views of athletes and officials.
The FASANOC delegation shared their own experiences and knowledge of how the structure of sports works in Fiji and the impact this conflict could have on the pathway of high performing athletes, particularly on those who had secured International Olympic Committee scholarships for Tokyo 2020.
Arrangements were then made for the meeting to be held at Fiji Olympic House at 10am tomorrow with the FASANOC delegation in attendance.
Although the Levuka club has since stated that the meeting must be held in Ovalau, the Levuka officials who are on the board of Weightlifting Fiji and senior athletes can attend the meeting.
But Tawai said they would not travel to Suva.
“I informed them (FASANOC independent commission) that if Weightlifting Fiji executives wanted to have negotiations, then they should come to Levuka themselves to see the hardship the Levuka athletes are facing for many years in that old gym,”Tawai said.
“There was no reply from Weightlifting Fiji or FASANOC upon our request. They go ahead by calling all the athletes to come to the trials in Suva on Saturday and the meeting on Sunday.
“We will not come to Suva.”
Edited by Leone Cabenatabua
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