Fiji loses rights to host World Netball Championships next year
{{date|December 9, 2006}}

The [[w:International Federation of Netball Associations|International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA)]] has stripped the rights from Fiji to host the [[w:2007 Netball World Championships|World Netball Championships in 2007]] because of the military coup that took place on December 5.

The Netball Championships were to take place between 10 July and 21 July, 2007 at Fiji's capital, [[w:Suva|Suva]].

IFNA president, Molly Rhone, said: "It is deeply regretted that we have had to take this decision, recognising the hard work that has been done by the Organising Committee in preparing to host their first senior World Championships."

"We know that many supporters around the world were looking forward to this great sporting event in Fiji," Ms Rhone said.

Alisi Tabete, president of Fijian netball, said that today is a very sad day for sports and that they had wasted many years preparing to host the championships. "We had been working on this event from 1999 and right now I am trying to reason with myself as to why the championships has been lost and just thinking 'what if'."

"We have to think positive and am still thankful that we had been given a chance for the champs," Ms Tabete said.

The IFNA is yet to announce a replacement venue for the games. Ms Rhone said: "IFNA will now be working assiduously to find a new venue to host the Championships."

== Related news ==
*{{Wikinews|title=Fiji suspended from Commonwealth|date=December 8, 2006}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Fiji Military Coup possibly underway|date=December 4, 2006}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Chief of Fijian military claims that he is in control of Fiji|date=December 3, 2006}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Armed troops take control of Suva, Fiji|date=November 30, 2006}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Tense stand-off in Fiji amid coup warnings|date=November 1, 2006}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=53233|title=Netball coup's latest victim|author=|pub=Fiji Times|date=December 9, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.netball.org/news.aspx?id=139|title=IFNA Withdraws World Netball Championships 2007 from Fiji|author=Press Release|pub=International Federation of Netball Associations|date=December 8, 2006}}

{{publish}}
{{archive}}
[[Category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Fiji]]
[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Melanesia]]
The International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) has stripped the rights from Fiji to host the World Netball Championships in 2007 because of the military coup that took place on December 5.

The Netball Championships were to take place between 10 July and 21 July, 2007 at Fiji's capital, Suva.

IFNA president, Molly Rhone, said: "It is deeply regretted that we have had to take this decision, recognising the hard work that has been done by the Organising Committee in preparing to host their first senior World Championships."

"We know that many supporters around the world were looking forward to this great sporting event in Fiji," Ms Rhone said.

Alisi Tabete, president of Fijian netball, said that today is a very sad day for sports and that they had wasted many years preparing to host the championships. "We had been working on this event from 1999 and right now I am trying to reason with myself as to why the championships has been lost and just thinking 'what if'."

"We have to think positive and am still thankful that we had been given a chance for the champs," Ms Tabete said.

The IFNA is yet to announce a replacement venue for the games. Ms Rhone said: "IFNA will now be working assiduously to find a new venue to host the Championships."
Oceania Fiji Sports Melanesia