Agonising times

By HENRY MORABANG
THIS year has been an agonising experience for a lot of sports because there were more of action in the courtrooms than on the playing field.
It brings to mind Papua New Guinea’s No.1 sport – rugby league – opting to go to the courts rather than the sports arbitration to settle their in-house differences over the leadership tussle of the PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) chairmanship.
Despite the PNG Kumuls being ranked fourth in the world, the game in PNG has plummeted and other Pacific Island nations have taken advantage unlike in previous years when the Kumuls were a threat to some of these countries.
In actual fact, the PNGRFL spent the entire year fighting to keep its head above troubled waters.
At the year-end, there was not one piece of silverware to console Papua New Guineans but only painful memories of shattered dreams and half-hearted performances. More or less there was nothing to show. The rugby league-crazy nation cannot wait to wake up from the nightmare, only hoping the new year will bring fresh hope and a new direction.
Fortunately, the ongoing court battle did not dampen the spirit of the game during the Digicel Cup challenge.
It was also the year when boxing shifted its attention from the courtroom to the boxing ring. The election of the new executive headed by John Avira had put smiles on the faces of the boxing fraternity. 
It has been another challenging year for the boxing fraternity. There was a lot of activity carried out but no progress made.
The notable one was the suspension of former president Lohial Nuau by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) for issues relating to the Oceania Boxing Confederation that gave a bad perception of boxing in PNG.
A rebel boxing group capitalised by causing negative publicity on boxing that resulted in the PNG Amateur Boxing Union (PNGABU) taken to court.
Veteran administrator Dick Larry said boxing was inactive last season due to ongoing court cases between PNGABU and a rebel group. With the election of new officials, PNG is hoping for a better year for boxing.
The boxing championships in Vanimo, West Sepik will certainly erase bitter memories. The election of new office bearers should also see the PNGABU heading for a better future.
RUGBY UNION also had its fair share of problems. Port Moresby rugby was in shambles with the formation of a rival competition in the National Capital District. The split stemmed from disharmony among officials of different clubs in the Port Moresby rugby union competition.
On the national level, the PNG Rugby Football Union had a successful year participating in various tournaments within and abroad.
Women’s rugby set a benchmark by winning the Borneo 7s and became the queens of the Asia-Pacific region. The men’s and women’s 7s teams to the Pacific Games in Noumea, New Caledonia, brought back bronze medals.
In 15s rugby, PNG became the undisputed kings by winning the FORU Cup.
The tournament had teams from the Solomon Islands, Niue and Vanuatu.
SOCCER produced and achieved some commendable results this year. Despite spending less time with member associations, the national women’s team has put PNG Football Association (PNGFA) on the world ranking finishing 52nd on the FIFA rating.
PNGFA vice-president John Kapi Natto described the ranking as a big plus for football in PNG and the Oceania region but there was more work to be done. For the men, they missed out in the past Pacific Games and are making their way back from below 200 FIFA ranking to 187.
“Our Telikom National Soccer League (NSL) is giving our men’s squad a lot of experience and I am sure and positive that our men will do well in the 2014 World Cup Qualifier in Fiji next year,” he said.
In swimming, New Caledonia swimmer spoilt Ryan Pini’s dominance in the pool. It also puts PNG Swimming Union in the hunt for a new talent as a replacement in future. For Pini, he is eyeing the 2012 London Olympics as his last international event.
But the union under Elizabeth Wells should be confident they have enough talents available and need to get them exposed by participating at the regional or international competitions.
In squash, Lynette Vai became the first-ever Papua New Guinean to win the prestigious Australia junior squash championships. Seeded No.1 in the girls 13-year-old age group, Vai took out the championships in fine style winning all her matches in straight sets and stamping her dominance in that division.
The tournament has produced a couple of world champions such as Sarah Fitz-Gerald (five times), Michelle Martin (twice), current world champion Nicol David (three times), David Palmer, Ong Beng Hee, Rodney Eyles and others, have yet to see the emergence of talent from PNG.
In lawn tennis, dubbed as the William sisters of PNG, Marcia and her sister Abigail won the first gold medal in the doubles event for the country at the Pacific Games in Noumea, New Caledonia.
With good corporate backing from Bank South Pacific, lawn tennis has jumped heaps and bounds following the nation-wide coaching programme.
VOLLEYBALL: Village-based team from Vabukori in National Capital District continued their dominance by retaining the men’s championships for the eighth consecutive year. They went on to defend the men’s gold medal at the Arafura Games in Darwin – first time for any team sports to win gold medal on Australian soil.
BASKETBALL: Banking on the youths, PNG Basketball Federation national coach Boyat Daroya will soon reap the rewards for his hard work in developing young Papua New Guinean players.
He had proven during the Pacific Games in Noumea that his players were not easy to beat by putting on an impressive show against the super powers of the game in the Pacific rim.
NETBALL: Despite good corporate backing from Pacific MMI, PNG netball have yet to prove they are worthy recipients. The year for netball has been not good as expected.
Locally, they have a very good development programme to support the growth of the sport in PNG. However, they should change their selection criteria to see more new blood in the national side (Pepes).
PNG Netball Federation president Julianne Leka-Maliaki will complete her first term by year-end and should return for a better season next year.
CRICKET: Cricket PNG had a successful season under Bill Leane. However, things have slightly changed after his departure and Cricket PNG has slipped down the scale.
Cricket PNG management under chairman Mick Nades is aware and they would surely be working hard to resurrect the sport with good backing from corporate sponsors.
Cricket is currently the role model sports for PNG in terms of administration.