Keep politics out of sports, says Lakhan

Pacific Games Council president Vidya Lakhan has reiterated his call on governments of the region to understand the roles of sporting organisations within their respective countries to keep politics away from sports.
“Sports must be free of political interference,” said Lakhan while addressing the Sports Ministers Meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, this week.
“What our political leaders need to understand and more importantly remember at all times is that sport is self-regulating and self-governing.”
Tahiti’s non-appearance at the 10th Pacific Mini Games in Port Vila is the result of a clear case of interference in sports.
Pacific Games Council executive officer Andrew Minogue said Tahiti had no national Olympic committee executive board in place due to a court nullifying the election of a previous board.
The PGC, therefore, agreed to accept athlete entries directly from each of the national federations.
Two sports, rugby and boxing, have rival federations set up by the government which world rugby and AIBA does not recognise.
Minogue said the PGC accepted athletes nominated by original national federations.
“We expect rugby and boxing to be here competing under PGC flag,” he said.