Pacific Games delay approved

THE executive board of the Pacific Games Council has approved a request from the Solomon Islands to delay the start of the 2023 Pacific Games from July to November.
The council announced the approval after consultation with the 22-member Pacific Games associations and the 24 Oceania federations for the sports on the Games programme.
The revised dates for the 2023 Pacific Games will be Nov 19 to Dec 2.
Due to Covid-19 causing inevitable delays to the commencement of the venue construction programme in Honiara, the Games organisers requested the change of dates from the original July 16-29 to Nov 19-Dec 2.
The council has been assured that the venue construction programme, largely supported by the Chinese, Indonesian, and Papua New Guinea governments, and which is underway, should be completed by mid-2023.
But a July Games allowed little time to test the venues and make them fully operational.
Nor would it allow for contingencies in the event of further slippage in the construction programme due to natural causes like heavier than usual rains.
These additional four months of preparation time will allow the venues to be fully completed and tested.
The council wished the Solomon Islands well with their continuing preparations to host the 17th Pacific Games.