Samoa loses Pacific Games

Samoa loses Pacific Games

APIA (AFP): Samoa lost its bid to host the 2003 South Pacific Games to Fiji because of its lack of sporting facilities and for boycotting the games in 1987 and in 1995, a senior official said Monday.

Seiuli Paul Wallwork, secretary of Youth, Sports, and Culture, said in an interview with government radio that Samoa had promised in its bid for the 1995 games to build a synthetic track, a swimming pool and another gymnasium.

But none of them were built. He said representatives of the South Pacific countries at the mini games in American Samoa had asked him, "'Have you built all those things you promised that year?' The answer was no.