PNG loses bid to Fiji

 By HENRY MORABANG

PAPUA New Guinea has lost its bid to host the 2016 Oceania Swimming Championships in what was described as a “corrupt bid process” by Oceania Swimming Association.

Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko expressed his “utmost disgust” at what can only be described as favouritism, nepotism and highly questionable actions engineered to ensure Fiji was awarded the championship. 

Fiji was awarded the championships from June 19-26, provided facility upgrades are done on their swimming centre.  

In a letter dated Sept 4 to OSA vice-president Dennis Miller, Tkatchenko asked why an “11th hour’’ bid from Fiji was entertained when there was “clearly no guarantee of support’’ from the Fiji government.

Tkatchenko wanted to know if the OSA was confident that funding would be confirmed through the Fiji budget, contracts let and awarded and redevelopments carried out all inside 10 months.

He asked where in the FINA constitution did it allow for a vote to be conducted to decide the outcome between two applicants.

Tkatchenko said that history had shown that countries that hosted Pacific Games traditionally hosted the next Oceania tournament.

PNG Swimming president Elizabeth Wells said at the completion of the FINA Worlds Championships  PNG and Fiji presented their bids and the Oceania’s national federations emailed their choice to Miller with Fiji winning the bid. 

She said there was no reason given as it was done as an email vote.

“We are all feeling down at not being able to host the Oceania Championships next year after a successful Pacific Games but now we have to move on and look at other opportunities where we can utilise our magnificent facility on the international stage, promoting and building swimming in PNG,” Wells said.

 Miller, when announcing Fiji was hosting the 2016 championships said: “I would also like to again thank PNG Swimming for their bid and look forward to them bidding for future editions of the championships.” 

Despite not winning the bid, the PNG team was complimented on its excellent presentation. 

The next bid will be in 2018.

Miller said Fiji Swimming was required to confirm with OSA, Fiji government support as described together with key milestones throughout the forecast delivery of the facility upgrades.

“If these requirements are not adequately met, OSA reserves the right to award the 2016 Oceania Swimming Championships to the other bidder, being PNG,” Miller said.