Representing your country a privilege, not a right: APNG

Representing your country at International events is a privilege, not a right, according to Athletics Papua New Guinea (APNG).
APNG said that in response to claims by an athlete during a TV interview this week that she had been unfairly omitted from the team for the Pacific Games.
“Talent alone, or having won gold at the last Games is not enough and athletes need to work hard and show that they deserve to be in the team,” APNG said in a statement yesterday.
“You don’t just appear four months ahead of the Games and say ‘I have enough time to get to the required standard to win a medal’. It doesn’t work like that.
“The Team PNG and APNG selection policies state that training commitment, consistency in performance, attendance at national and regional championships, and improved performance from previous Games are all factors taken into consideration.”
APNG said the athlete, Sharon Kwarula, also claimed that the athletics team was selected by the executive committee without consultation with coaches, “which is simply not true”.
“Coaches for the various disciplines were consulted and the final list was circulated to them before it was submitted to the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee.
“In fact it was then sprints coach Dior Lowry who said Kwarula should not be selected because she hadn’t been training.
“In an email to president Tony Green on March 15, acknowledging the list, Lowry said ‘the list looks fine, just need to remove Sharon. She hasn’t been training and isn’t running… been concentrating on admin’.
“Kwarula submitted her appeal to the athletes’ commission in the first place and was informed that the correct process was to appeal to the sport first.
“We then considered the appeal and determined, on balance that Sharon had not met the selection criteria.
“Our decision was independently reviewed and upheld by the justification committee.”
Meanwhile, Team PNG, one of the biggest contingents at the 2019 16th Pacific Games in Samoa, will see 363 athletes and 108 team officials and management staff (471 in total).