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2007 South Pacific Games

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File:SPG2007.jpg
Official logo of the 2007 Games

The 2007 Pacific Games were held in Apia, Samoa. They began on 25 August and finished on 8 September. The Games were also known as the XIII South Pacific Games.

The Games were the thirteenth Pacific Games to be held since the event's inception in 1963 and included both traditional multi-sport event disciplines such as athletics and swimming together with region-specific and smaller events such as outrigger canoeing, surfing and lawn bowls. The principal venue for the Games was Apia Park with other events taking place at the Tuanaimato Sporting Complex at Faleata and around Samoa.

In contrast to the Olympic Games which are expected to generate income for the host nation[1], the 2007 Pacific Games are expected to leave Samoa US$92 million in debt, predominantly as a result of expenditure on large-scale infrastructure projects such as bridges and roads.[2]

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony to the Games took place on 25 August 2007 at Apia Park Stadium and was performed in a traditional Samoan and Pacific style[3], welcoming some 5,000 athletes from 22 nations and territories to Samoa.

The ceremony was attended by Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa (who also competed in the Games - see below), and Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, Head of State. Choreographed by Samoan contemporary dancer Alan Aiolupotea[4] the ceremony featured dancing portraying the "mystical legends" from Samoa's island heritage (such as the stories of Sina and her Eel and Nafanua[5]) with a five-year old female fire dancer from Siumu Village performing a siva afi (or fire stick dance) accompanied by a Samoan song depicting the flow of lava following the 1905 eruptions near Savai'i being one of the showcase displays.[6]

Former New Zealand Idol winner Rosita Vai sang an accompaniment to the torch lighting of the ceremonial flame by Ofisa Ofisa, a Samoan weightlifter.[5]

Following a rest day on Sunday, the sporting events of the Games began on Monday, 27 August.

Participation by Samoan Prime Minister

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi competed for his country at the Games in the sport of target archery.[7] In participating in the Games, the Prime Minister became the first elected leader to represent his country at a multi-sport event.

Having taken up the sport only 5 months prior to the Games, Tuilaepa was ranked second in Samoa in the combined bow discipline. The Prime Minister's son was also a reserve team member.[7]

On day 10 of the Games, Tuilaepa won a silver medal in the mixed recurve team play event.[8]

Logistical problems

Problems with equipment and the lack of multi-sport event infrastructures within the region created difficulties throughout the Games.

The decathlon was reduced to eight disciplines due to a shortage of equipment. The poles for the pole vault were still in Melbourne after the ship due to deliver them was delayed by poor weather and the high jump was cancelled. In addition, the 1500 metre race was reduced to 1km.[9] The women's 400 metre hurdles and men's discus were also affected.[10]

The lack of funding and facilities for drug testing also restricted the ability of Games authorities to run a full drug testing and anti-doping programme at the Games. Only one hundred athletes (primarily in high-risk events such as bodybuilding and weightlifting) were due to be tested as samples needed to be flown overseas from Samoa to be processed at a cost of AU$500 per sample.[11]

Fireworks due to feature in the Closing Ceremony also remained in Melbourne after difficulties transporting them by ship to Samoa.[10]

Religious controversies

The religious sensitivities of the host nation (which is primarily Congregationalist Christian) and other participants resulted in several controversial decisions during the organisation and running of the Games.

Athletes in the women's beach volleyball event were required to wear shorts and t-shirts as opposed to the regulation bikini-style outfits to avoid offending family members and other spectators.[12]

A leaked internal memo by Team Samoa authorities was circulated prior to the event warning Samoan athletes not to partake in homosexual intercourse declaring it as "ungodly", stating: "do not embarrass yourself, your family and your country by trying this in the village...Best not to even think about this. It's against the law of God!" Such activity is prohibited under Samoan law and punishable by up to five years' imprisonment. However the 'ban' on homosexual intercourse was later lifted by organising committee chairman, Tapasu Lueng Wai.[13][14]

A campaign to issue athletes with condoms and advice on sexually transmitted infections also met with resistance from religious leaders. The Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Samoa, Alapati Mataeliga suggested that, in doing so, the authorities were encouraging extra-marital sexual activity which was frowned upon by the church. [15] Games authorities also back-tracked on plans to issue athletes with female condoms after fears it might "expose young athletes to sex." Male condoms were nevertheless distributed.[4]

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony for the Games again took place at Apia Park. Attended by some 20,000 spectators, a twelve minute fireworks display brought proceedings to an end before hundreds of balloons were released in the the colours of the Games flag which was itself duly lowered and the ceremonial flame extinguished.

The flag was then passed to New Caledonia delegates, supported by a Kanak cultural group, ahead of the 2011 Pacific Games in Noumea.[16]

Final Medal Table

1  New Caledonia 90 69 68 227
2  Tahiti 44 43 31 118
3  Samoa 43 33 50 126
4  Fiji 39 54 43 136
5  Papua New Guinea 38 24 32 94
6  Nauru 15 9 12 36
7  Palau 9 4 3 16
8  Federated States of Micronesia 6 6 1 13
9  Cook Islands 5 9 8 22
10  Tonga 3 14 10 27
11  American Samoa 3 8 11 22
12  Tokelau 3 1 1 5
13  Wallis and Futuna 3 0 1 4
14  Vanuatu 2 1 9 12
15  Solomon Islands 1 12 14 27
16  Guam 1 2 7 10
17  Kiribati 0 4 2 6
18  Marshall Islands 0 1 1 2
 Tuvalu 0 1 1 2
 Niue 0 1 1 2
21  Norfolk Island 0 1 0 1
22  Northern Mariana Islands 0 0 0 0

Sporting Events

See also

References

  1. ^ Article by CBRE regarding increase to gross domestic product and real estate values as a result of the 2004 Athens Olympics
  2. ^ "Games puts Samoa in debt". ABC Radio Australia. 2007-09-03. Retrieved 2007-09-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ "South Pacific Games opens in Apia". MatangiTonga online. 2007-08-27. Retrieved 2007-08-29. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ a b Jackson, Cherelle (2007-09-03). "Letter from Samoa: SPG opens with a bang". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ a b Fire, Dance and Song Bring in the Games from Samoa2007.ws
  6. ^ Tepuke, Ali (2007-08-27). "South Pacific Games Open in Apia, Samoa". Solomon Times online. Retrieved 2007-08-29. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ a b Samoa PM draws bow for his country from the New Zealand Herald, 18 August 2007
  8. ^ "Samoa PM wins archery silver". ABC Radio Australia. Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ Gear problems in Apia see Games decathlon become an octathlon from Radio New Zealand International, 4 September 2007
  10. ^ a b ATHLETES FEEL ROBBED AFTER DECATHLON BECOMES OCTATHLON from Niu FM, Pacific Radio News 4 September 2007
  11. ^ New Mindset needed to keep Games clean from Niu FM, Pacific Radio News 6 September 2007
  12. ^ "No bikinis for beach volleyball players". Herald Sun. 2007-08-31. Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  13. ^ "South Pacific Games repeal gay ban". ABC Radio Australia. 2007-07-19. Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ "Youth leaders promote 'Safe Games'". Fiji Times. 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
  15. ^ "Samoa Catholic leader opposes condoms for athletes". Radio New Zealand International. 2007-09-03. Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  16. ^ Maua, Elma (2007-09-09). "Unprecedented fireworks display closes 13th South Pacific Games". Radio New Zealand International. Retrieved 2007-09-10. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
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