Ro Filipe Tuisawau was angry after the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port-of-Spain refused to lift a ban on Fiji competing in the Games in New Delhi next year.

He said: "The only effect of mixing sports and politics, as in this case, is that sports people who are mostly our youth are punished for something which has nothing to do with them."

Rugby sevens was Fiji's biggest hope for a medal at the Commonwealth Games.

They have won a medal in every event since the sport was introduced to the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, when they won a silver medal.

They also won a silver medal in Manchester in 2002 and the bronze in Melbourne four years later.

Tuisawau said: "Rugby will suffer because our sevens team will be deprived of an international level competition, an opportunity for upcoming players and a definite medal.

"In fact the majority of the people of Fiji are moving on with their lives so why continue these types of punitive measures which mostly affect innocent bystanders?"

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
November 2009: Fiji threaten legal action over Commonwealth Games exclusion
November 2009: Fiji set to miss New Delhi but Rwanda to make debut
November 2009: Plan for Fiji to be allowed to compete in Delhi set for defeat
November 2009: Australian Commonwealth Games chiefs support Fiji fight
October 2009: Fiji coach upset over Commonwealth Games suspension