MINISTER FOR YOUTH AND SPORTS
Hon. Parveen Kumar Bala

Thursday,9th September 2021,2:40PM

Salutation:
• Master of Ceremonies;
• Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports
• Permanent Secretary for Youth and Sports, Executive Chairman, Fiji National Sports Commission & Chairman Fiji Sports Council;
• CEO Fiji Sports Council
• Dr Ana and Team from Ministry of Health and Medical Services
• Executive and members of Fiji’s National Sports Organisations;
• Ladies and Gentlemen;

Bula Vinaka and Good afternoon to you all,

It is my pleasure to be here with you on this wonderful afternoon. I would like to begin by thanking the organising committee for the invitation extended to me to be a part of the forum for the Return to Sports and Recreational Activity Framework.

Globally, we welcome pathways to return to normal times in sports. Health and wellness are basically on the top of the agenda when it comes to this.

This afternoon, I must also acknowledge the work put into preparing the official document for the return of sport in a very structured way. This will ensure the protection of all our athletes, technical officials, coaches, referees.

Sports in 2021 has shown that it still plays a major role in our health and wellness and this was evident as Fiji celebrated its second gold medal at the Olympics men’s rugby sevens and the icing on the cake win with the remarkable effort by the Fijiana in winning the bronze medal. These efforts and thousands of other athletes at the Tokyo Summer Olympics and Paralympics showed the union and will through sports well geared to face any efforts.

Both these events have also laid the platform for conducting COVID safe games and I’m sure this forum will take note of its success and challenges in moving forward towards a return to sports.

The restarting of social and organized sports and recreation activities will require each stakeholder to play their part in re-engaging in safe sport. It will also require the implementation of a complex process to ensure the safety of athletes and all stakeholders in the sporting industry.
Ladies and Gentlemen, to ensure that everyone can proceed, we need the support of all our National Sports Organisations and this time they must also take responsibility of their sports clubs and particular community activities again in their particular sport.

Compliance at all times is imperative again for everyone’s protection. It very much depends on all Sports having their 2020 Fiji Safe Sports Certification in place to proceed to any activity. I am told that four of our National Sports Organisation have still not had their protocols certified so if they wish to continue, they must do so immediately.

Sport’s value as a social connector is one of its most powerful development attributes. Sport is an inherently social process bringing together players, teams, coaches, volunteers and spectators. However, as noted across the globe it also has the potential to be a super spreader in the events of COVID-19. We cannot and will not allow that to happen. We already have more than 500 Fijians who have lost their lives in this horrible pandemic and we will ensure that the sporting pathways become a pathway to health and wellness and not to our hospital beds.

Programmes that reflect the best value of sports; fair play, team work, cooperation, respect for others and inclusion are key principles for sports. The same principles must now apply to this new Return to Sports Framework for all Fijians.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am also pleased to launch our 3 Level traffic light system of a safe return to sports. Currently we are in Red or Level A but upon advisory from the Ministry of Health, we will proceed to Amber otherwise known as Level B where non-contact Sports and non-contact training can commence but under certain protocols and restrictions. We intend to advance onto Green which is Level C as this is where we can practise all sports including contact and Full training and competition can commence.

Each of these levels depend on everyone’s involvement be it athletes, officials, technical officials, administrators and even spectators receiving their full vaccination. This will ensure the protection of our younger athletes.

Now that this framework is in place, we must remember that it will depend on us to ensure that once we achieve the return to full-contact sports, we don’t crumble down back to square one. And this means learning to live with the new protocols that in many ways makes sports safer from a sanitary health view point and save lives.
This Government has always been committed to the health and wellbeing of all Fijians above all considerations. We will continue to do so as long as the COVID-19 poses the risk on Fijian lives. We will work very closely with our fellow partners; the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to advise us regarding this as we move towards the return to sports for all Fijians.

We may operate under new protocols and rules but I would like to express the commitment of the FijiFirst Government towards the continued success of sports
I wish you all the best in your discussions on the Framework for the Resumption of Sports and Recreational Activities in Fiji.

Thank you and Vinaka vakalevu.