Fiji receive support from Fijian and Chinese Governments to finance team for Pacific Games

The funding should boost the likes of Fiji's successful rugby sevens when competing in Port Moresby, and then in Rio next year ©Getty Images

A cheque of FJD $300,000 (£90,000/$144,000/€120,000) has been presented to the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) by the Government to assist the island nation in its preparations for next month's Pacific Games in Port Moresby.

With sending a team to the Games expected to cost in total around FJD$2.1 million (£630,000/$1.26 million/€1.1 million), the extra assistance has been welcomed by FASANOC President Joe Rodan, with this the latest of several installments delivered over recent months.

“We are always grateful to the Government for donating and helping out FASANOC, as you know sports plays a very important part in our country," he said.

"The Fiji Team of 423 that’s going over to the Games.

"[The] majority of them are students and majority of them are youth and it’ll be a good exposure for them."

As well as the Government, Fiji have received support from other areas, with the Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhang Ping having presented a similar cheque for FJD$37,000 (£11,000/$17,000/€16,000) in order to enable the nation's volleyball team - which had otherwise not got the funds to participate - to attend.

Chinese Government officials have provided support for the Fiji volleyball team to participate in Port Moresby ©FASANOC

Fiji is the third most successful team in the history of the Pacific Games behind New Caledonia and French Polynesia, boasting an impressive all-time medals tally of 386 gold, 461 silver and 393 bronze.

This year's edition, due to open in the Papua New Guinean capital on July 4, will form a key part of preparations for next year's Olympic Games in Rio, where the introduction of rugby sevens means that Fiji have a realistic chance of gaining a first ever Olympic medal.

The nation will participate across 25 sports during the Games.

But with the cost of travel and accommodation high, not to mention other aspects such as departure tax, FASANOC are still hoping for support for other channels, such as from local businesses.

“We need the support from our business houses, there are a number out there that have not come on board with any sports," added Fiji Sports Council chairman, Peter Mazey.

"We’d like to sort of say well, you can turn off your TV’s when we [are] showing sevens and when we [are] showing PNG [Papua New Guinea] because you haven’t put anything into it."