Noumea Games

Change In Rules For 1966 Noumea Games

A change in the rules under whici some team sports are played will giv territories a better opportunity I prove their skill at the Second Sout , Pacific Games, to be held in Noume in 1966.

THE decision to alter the con petition rules was made at meeting of the South Pacific Ganu Council, the governing body of th Games series, held in Suva on Sei tember 1.

Delegates told the council th< under the knockout system used i some team events in Suva, terr tories which had paid the cost < sending teams thousands of mile were knocked out of the competitic after playing only once.

Papua-New Guinea’s table-tenn and soccer teams were among tho: defeated in their first matches, at Western Samoa was knocked out < the tennis before the Games we officially opened.

A points system would gr defeated teams a chance of a pla ing.

The Council agreed that in futu no team sport would be conduct on a knockout basis.

Residential Qualifications

The Council decided that the re dential qualification of two yea would be retained for the ne Games, but it would apply indigenous as well as expatriate coi petitors.

Some territories wanted the re dential qualification reduced to i months, other wanted it extended four or five years.

The Council also agreed that ter tories could nominate twice as ma names as were required for tea sports, and thus avoid being sh< of players because of last-mini changes beyond their control.

The Council rejected a propo to extend the period between Gan from three years to four years. Soi delegates said a four-year peri would help avoid clashes betwt Olympic and Commonwealth Gam but the general view was that South Pacific Games should be i independently for Pacific peop without consideration for any Gar elsewhere.

THE GAMES IN PICTURES: Nobody (top) seemed to know where the ball was in this incident in the Rugby clash between Western Samoa and Fiji (striped socks) early in the Games. The Fijians won 29-6. The centre picture shows Rabaul school teacher M. Joyce (Papua-New Guinea) winning the final of the 800 metres race from S. Naivalurua (Fiji). His time for the event was 2 min. 2.4 sec. Below: P-NG high jumper Edward Laboran wins a gold medal with a leap of 6 ft. 3 in. The next best competitor could only manage 5 ft. 11 in.

Photo credits: Stan Whippy (top) and Rob Wright.