Sport in Fiji
Encyclopedia
The national sport of Fiji
is considered to be rugby union
(especially of the sevens
variety), however rugby league
and association football are also widely played.
Sports culture is unique as different racial mixes and cultures come together in a common interest, Fiji is fanatical about sports and the most dominant sports being rugby union, association football and Rugby league
.
Various forms of traditional boat racing and wrestling are also performed.
is an organization in charge of organizing International
tournaments for Fiji
athletes. It is also affiliated to FASANOC. The organization is headed by its Chairman Tom Ricketts (Fiji politician)
It is also one of the leading provider of quality sports & recreational facilities and programs at national, regional and international levels. It was established in 1978 under the Fiji Sports Council Act and year later in 1979, it hosted the first South Pacific Games
. It was recently in charge of hosting the 2007 Netball World Championships
which was to be held in Suva
but due to the 2006 Military coup, the venue was shifted to New Zealand
and Fiji
lost out in hosting the biggest event of the year.
is quite talented and has competed at five Rugby World Cup
s, the first being in 1987
. Their best results were at the 1987 and 2007 World Cups where they reached the quarter finals. Fiji also competes in the Pacific Tri-Nations
and the Pacific Nations Cup. The Fiji sevens team
is one of the most successful rugby sevens
team in the world. They have won 2 Sevens World Cup titles and the 2005/06 IRB Sevens Series. They have also won a number of Hong Kong Sevens titles which is considered the most prestigious annual international Sevens tournament.
The sport is governed by the Fiji Rugby Union
which is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
, and contributes to the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
. At the club level there are the Colonial Cup
and Pacific Rugby Cup
.Everyone loves to play and support others playing as well.
is a popular team sport played in Fiji. The Fijian rugby league competition consists of nine teams.
Fiji has produced some of the finest rugby league players in the world. Notable examples include Lote Tuqiri and Petero Civoniceva
, both of whom have played for Australia in international test matches, Queensland in the State of Origin
series and the Brisbane Broncos
in Australian club grand final victories.
The Fiji national rugby league team
, known as Fiji Bati, has competed in the Rugby League World Cup
on three occasions, with their best result coming when they made the semi-finals of the 2008 competition
.
Fiji also competes in the Pacific Cup. They finished in 3rd place in the 2009 competition beating Tonga in the 3rd-place playoff after losing to the Cook Islands in the semi finals.
In Fiji Islands operates a fan club
of the Greek
football club PAOK FC
. The fan club's name is PAOK Fiji Islands Fan Club.
There are a few clubs in and around Fiji. Here is a link to one of them Takia Outrigger Canoe Club Fiji
to date there is still no AFL competition in the country.
From: J. Stanley Gardiner (1898), "The Natives of Rotuma," Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 27:486-488.
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Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
is considered to be rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
(especially of the sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
variety), however rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and association football are also widely played.
Sports culture is unique as different racial mixes and cultures come together in a common interest, Fiji is fanatical about sports and the most dominant sports being rugby union, association football and Rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
.
Various forms of traditional boat racing and wrestling are also performed.
Fiji Sports Council
The Fiji Sports CouncilFiji Sports Council
130px|rightThe Fiji Sports Council is an organisation in charge of organising International tournaments for Fiji athletes. It is also one of the leading providers of quality sports and recreational facilities and programs at national, regional and international levels...
is an organization in charge of organizing International
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
tournaments for Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
athletes. It is also affiliated to FASANOC. The organization is headed by its Chairman Tom Ricketts (Fiji politician)
Tom Ricketts (Fiji politician)
Tom Ricketts was one of the eight nominees of the Leader of the Opposition to the Senate of Fiji after the 2006 elections. 4 January 2008, Tom Ricketts announced as Interim Minister for Tourism Trade and Communications after Interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama's 2008 Cabinet Reshuffle-...
It is also one of the leading provider of quality sports & recreational facilities and programs at national, regional and international levels. It was established in 1978 under the Fiji Sports Council Act and year later in 1979, it hosted the first South Pacific Games
South Pacific Games
The Pacific Games is a multi-sport event, much like the Olympics , with participation exclusively from countries around the South Pacific. It is held every four years and began in 1963, hosted by Suva, Fiji.- Concept :The idea of holding the South Pacific Games originated with Dr A.H...
. It was recently in charge of hosting the 2007 Netball World Championships
Netball World Championships
The World Netball Championships is a quadrennial international netball world championship co-ordinated by the International Federation of Netball Associations , inaugurated in 1963. Since its inception the competition has been dominated primarily by the Australian national netball team and the New...
which was to be held in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
but due to the 2006 Military coup, the venue was shifted to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
lost out in hosting the biggest event of the year.
Rugby union
The national teamFiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
is quite talented and has competed at five Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
s, the first being in 1987
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
. Their best results were at the 1987 and 2007 World Cups where they reached the quarter finals. Fiji also competes in the Pacific Tri-Nations
Pacific Tri-Nations
The Pacific Tri-Nations is the traditional rugby union series between Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. It was established in 1982 with the Samoan team, then known as Western Samoa, winning the tournament...
and the Pacific Nations Cup. The Fiji sevens team
Fiji national rugby union team (sevens)
The Fiji Sevens side is one of the most popular and successful Sevens teams in the world and has won the Hong Kong Sevens a record nine times since its inception in 1976. Fiji has also won the Sevens World Cup twice, winning that event in 1997 and 2005...
is one of the most successful rugby sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
team in the world. They have won 2 Sevens World Cup titles and the 2005/06 IRB Sevens Series. They have also won a number of Hong Kong Sevens titles which is considered the most prestigious annual international Sevens tournament.
The sport is governed by the Fiji Rugby Union
Fiji Rugby Union
Fiji Rugby Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Fiji. It is divided into over 30 provincial unions. The Fiji Rugby Union is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance , along with Samoa and Tonga. There are approximately 80,000 registered players from a total population...
which is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
The Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance was set up in 2002 as a basis of co-operation between the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga Rugby Unions. Niue and the Cook Islands are also members of the Alliance, and while not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they can and do supply members to the Pacific...
, and contributes to the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
Pacific Islanders rugby union team
The Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
. At the club level there are the Colonial Cup
Colonial Cup
The Colonial Cup was the second highest level of competition within Fijian rugby union and was intended to be a stepping stone for local players into international rugby union...
and Pacific Rugby Cup
Pacific Rugby Cup
The IRB Pacific Rugby Cup is an annual rugby union development competition. First held in 2006, it features representative teams from the three Pacific rugby union unions - Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.The participating teams are:*Samoa A from Samoa...
.Everyone loves to play and support others playing as well.
Rugby league
Rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
is a popular team sport played in Fiji. The Fijian rugby league competition consists of nine teams.
Fiji has produced some of the finest rugby league players in the world. Notable examples include Lote Tuqiri and Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
, both of whom have played for Australia in international test matches, Queensland in the State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
series and the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
in Australian club grand final victories.
The Fiji national rugby league team
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
, known as Fiji Bati, has competed in the Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
on three occasions, with their best result coming when they made the semi-finals of the 2008 competition
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
.
Fiji also competes in the Pacific Cup. They finished in 3rd place in the 2009 competition beating Tonga in the 3rd-place playoff after losing to the Cook Islands in the semi finals.
Football (soccer)
Soccer was a minor sport but over the last decade with further international funding from FIFA and sound local management of the sport has grown in popularity amongst the Indian community initially but now also the Fijian community.In Fiji Islands operates a fan club
Fan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
of the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
football club PAOK FC
PAOK FC
P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
. The fan club's name is PAOK Fiji Islands Fan Club.
Outrigger paddling
Outrigger paddling or Va'a has been in Fiji for many years now. It has grown to be a strong and competitive sport. Part of the South Pacific Games, it is integral to the unique identity of the pacific people. Outrigger Fiji is the National Federation overseeing the sport and its regularly run regattas and events.There are a few clubs in and around Fiji. Here is a link to one of them Takia Outrigger Canoe Club Fiji
Other sports
Many sports exist in Fiji, and in many ways has its own cultural following. There are sports such as golf -which has been made famous by Fiji athlete Vijay Singh- cricket, surfing, windsurfing -which was brought to prominence by former world champion and Fiji Athlete Tony Philps- sailing in varying forms, various adventure sports, athletics, various Asian martial arts, and boxing. Whilst a handful of players of Fijian heritage currently play in the Australian Football LeagueAustralian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
to date there is still no AFL competition in the country.
Notable sportspeople
- Jimmy SnukaJimmy SnukaJames William "Jimmy" Reiher is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having been a...
professional wrestler & his son Jimmy Snuka Jr. - Bobby SinghBobby SinghBobby Singh is a retired professional American and Canadian football guard. He last played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Calgary Stampeders in the first round of the 1999 CFL Draft....
professional NFL and CFL football player. - Vijay SinghVijay SinghVijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
, a professional golfer. - Tony PhilpTony PhilpAnthony Steven "Tony" Philp from the Fiji Islands, is a former Windsurfing World Champion and Olympic sailor. One of the most popular contemporary sporting figures to hail from the Fiji Islands, he is the only Fiji born athlete along with Golfer Vijay Singh to be ranked number one in his sports...
, Windsurfer. - Waisale SereviWaisale SereviWaisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi is a former Fijian rugby union footballer, and coach. Although he played fifteen-a-side rugby throughout his playing career, Serevi is most notable for his achievements in rugby sevens....
, a world-renowned sevens rugby player, is from Fiji. Commentators refer to him as the magician, or maestro also the King of Sevens. No.1 sevens player in the world with William Ryder closely following his footsteps - Lote Tuqiri, dual code international for AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, and former captain of the Fiji national rugby league teamFiji national rugby league team-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
. - Petero CivonicevaPetero CivonicevaPetero Civoniceva is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
, representative footballer for the Australia national rugby league team. - Sitiveni SivivatuSitiveni SivivatuSitiveni Waica Sivivatu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, playing on the position of a wing. He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12 season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the All Blacks. He has scored 29 tries in 45 tests...
and Joe RokocokoJoe RokocokoJosevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko is a professional New Zealand rugby union player. Rokocoko is known for his speed and strength which has accounted for his prolific try strike rate...
are Fijians who play for New Zealand's All BlacksAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. - Rupeni Caucau plays for a French rugby union club.
- David RodanDavid RodanDavid Rodan is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Port Adelaide Football Club.Rodan is the first Fijian-born player to reach 100 AFL games.-Early life:...
and Alipate CarlileAlipate CarlileAlipate Carlile is an Australian rules footballer for Port Adelaide in the Australian Football League .-AFL career:...
, professional Australian rules footballers in the Australian Football LeagueAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. - Makelesi BulikioboMakelesi BulikioboMakelesi Bulikiobo Batimala is a Fiji Islands sprinter.- Biography :Nicknamed the "Sprint Queen" by the Fiji Times and Fiji Village, she has represented her country in several international competitions, including the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She won four gold medals at the 2003 South...
, athlete. - Ivor EvansIvor Evans-Club career:Ivor Evans started his career in his hometown team Labasa F.C., and then he played for Fiji giants Ba FC.In 1987 he arrived in North America. Primarily he got a brief spell with MISL team St. Louis Steamers, but he didn't play any match....
, professional soccer player. Played in the Canadian league. - Seán Óg Ó hAilpínSeán Óg Ó hAilpínSeán Óg Ó hAilpín is an iconic Irish-Fijian sportsperson. A former dual player, he currently plays hurling with his local club Na Piarsaigh and is a member of the Cork senior inter-county team. Ó hAilpín captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 2005...
, Legendary Cork Hurler - Niko VerekautaNiko VerekautaNiko Verekauta is a Fiji Islands sprinter. He represented Fiji in the 400m sprint at 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 400m sprint at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He also won five gold medals at the Mini South Pacific Games in 2009.-External links:...
, athlete
Sport in precolonial Fiji
Sport in old Fiji, apart from recreation, had a practical place helping train young warriors. One such a practice would have the older men bring the male children a severally injured captive of war, allowing the boys would practice their archery skills against this living target. Other sports of old Fiji, which are no longer practiced in modern Fiji, are as follows:Tiqa or ulutoa
The Fijian game tiqa, or ulutoa, used to be very popular; it is now only played by the boys. Properly it seems to be a Fijian game, and was doubtless introduced from there. It is played by throwing from the forefinger, covered with a piece of cloth, a reed about 4 feet long, armed with a pointed piece of hard and heavy wood, 3-6 inches long. It is thrown along the ground, bouncing over it, the winner being, he who can throw it furthest.From: J. Stanley Gardiner (1898), "The Natives of Rotuma," Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 27:486-488.
Veisaga
Was a sport practiced in some parts of Fiji on a large scale. A group of men and women would assemble on a hill top to wrestle. If a man closes with a woman, he will attempt to throw her and on succeeding they both roll together. Minor injuries would often occur from this but they were concealed by the participants as a matter of pride. If pain was shown then intense ridicule would follow.See also
- List of Fiji records in swimming
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