We mix with the best, says Serevi

[Stacey King]

FIJI TIMES ONLINE - Tuesday, July 14, 2009

THE Pacific is not missing out on any international sports competitions, says Waisale Serevi, with Pacific teams fully participating in world-class competitions. He made the comment yesterday while speaking on the theme 'Sports the vehicle for health and identity in Pacific Island Countries' during the Pacific Youth Festival. Mr Serevi said weightlifers of Nauru, the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Tonga, and Tuvalu were at the Beijing Olympics. Western Samoa, Tonga and Fiji participated in the Rugby World Cup in 2007, the Western Samoan and Fiji netball teams played in the World Netball Championships. These showed Pacific involvement, he said.

"Sports can provide excellent educational opportunities for social developments because many of the social and moral requirements for participation in sports are parallels to how individuals must function in a law-abiding society," he said. There was a high prevalence of obesity where youths were accustomed to fatty foods, he said. He said sports helped groups develop identity. "It has proved to be of utility by reason of its inherent qualities of being easily understood and enjoyed, being capable of generating mass enthusiasm," he said.