Follow competition rules, athletes warned

Athletes participating in next weekend’s Fiji Finals (known as the Coca-Cola Games) next week are being warned by the Fiji Secondary Schools Athletics Association (FSSAA) to follow the competition rules to avoid disqualification.

The Fiji Finals will start next Thursday, April 30, and end on Saturday, May 2, at Suva’s National Stadium.

FSSAA general secretary Biu Colati told SUNsports yesterday there would no introduction of new rules and regulations.

“We will stick with the current rules from World Athletics,” he said.

“Nothing new will be introduced, it’s just the rules that is currently within the rules of World Athletics. That is the same rule that will apply and, in most cases, they are asking about the false starts, that one will remain because it’s already a rule that we’ve been following for so many years now.”

Colati said in recent years’ athletes were give second chance to participate but they would not tolerate any athlete that make a false start.

He also noted there are competitions still in progress and they would finalise all participating athletes after the Maritime Zone next week.

“We should be able to confirm the number of participating athletes after Monday because right now our competition has not ended, our next qualifier is happening on Saturday here at the stadium. Our last zone is happening here next Monday which is the Maritime Zone,” he said.

Colati said when they complete the maritime zone, they would give out the exact number of athletes participating for the Fiji Finals.

“According to our statistics last year and compared to this year’s competition, I believe there will be an increase in the number of participating schools for this year,” he said.

Colati said the new schools that are now being included are Wainikeli Junior Secondary School, Matuku Secondary School and Udu Secondary School from Macuata.

Colati said since most of the maritime schools are coming at their own cost they can only be refunded if they qualify for the Fiji Finals.

“They are not coming for the Coke Games; they are coming for their zone first and that means that they are just coming at their own cost. But that cost will be refunded or can be refunded if they qualify to the Coca-Cola games,” he added.

Feedback: tevita.w@fijisun.com.fj