The new eligibility rule for the Pacific Games, formerly the South Pacific Games, remains a hot issue and may change.<\/p>\n
This according to Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association president Michael White, who disclosed during Thursday\u2019s NMASA general membership meeting that the currently rule is still being challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s still a hot topic,\u201d he told all in attendance. \u201cThe people who don\u2019t like the new eligibility rule haven\u2019t given up on it. They\u2019re claiming that the vote that was taken in Apia was not legal [and] they want to redo the vote on a new charter.\u201d<\/p>\n
White said that while many delegations are against the new rule and a change may be possible, it would not happen in time for next year\u2019s Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost people are against it, but they may force the issue, so the question of the eligibility rule is not a dead issue at this point. [But] as far as Samoa for next year, it is a dead issue,\u201d he said. \u201cIt may change back to something other than what it is now, but it\u2019s not going to change in time for next year\u2019s Pacific Games.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the Pacific Games Council created a new charter and made a change in its eligibility criteria for athletes.<\/p>\n
The new eligibility rule indicates that in order for an athlete to compete for a respective country, he or she must be a citizen of the country, meaning athletes representing the CNMI must hold U.S. passports and must have resided in the CNMI for at least five years at anytime of the athlete\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
So far, sports federations in the CNMI that have expressed they will be affected by the rule include table tennis, wrestling, and tennis, among others.<\/p>\n
Next year\u2019s Pacific Games will be held from Aug. 24 to Sept. 7 and will feature delegations from Fiji, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, the NMI, Guam, Palau, Samoa, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna, Marshall Islands, Niue, Norfolk Island, and Tuvalu.<\/p>\n
Only six sports will feature CNMI athletes as only beach volleyball, athletics, golf, sailing, tennis, and surfing have submitted the initial payment for the trip on the Dec. 1 deadline. Tennis submitted its payment during the meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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