Maori bid continues
p. 65 · Read in the full issue
despite some criticism
By Martin Tiffany
DENNIS Hansen, a former New Zealand Maori rugby league rep resentative, says he believes the Aotearoa Sports Federation is back ing a lost cause. He said they should instead concentrate on nurturing
promising Maori sporting talent.
Hansen’s comments follow signs a Maori contingent will compete at the 1999 SPG. A sports delegation from Aotearoa Sports was recently in Tahiti pushing the case for Maori inclusion.
The Maori delegation has been granted observer status at the 1995 games in Tahiti.
Hansen, however, does not believe the Maori will ever compete at the SPG because of what he describes as its “closed door policy on large nations”.
Hansen was a member of the original Aotearoa Sports Committee (as it was known) from 1980 to 1985. It was around this time the Maori began the push for the right to compete in the Games. At the time there was a lot of resistance from small Pacific states.
Aboriginal and native Hawaiian participation at the SPG has also met with resistance.
Hansen said it was understandable that there was resistance as Maori were
already exposed to top competition
while the smaller Pacific nations used the SPG for the development of sport.
Some countries have said it would be unfair for their athletes to compete against Maori, Aboriginals and native Hawaiians as those nations have big advantage because of the sports devel opment and facilities.
Some of the island nations with American links receive funding from the United States to help with their partici pation at the SPG. Many of these nations are worried that funding would not be forthcoming if these bigger nations are allowed to compete, says Hansen.
However, Bill Tangariki, a member of the Aotearoa Sports delegation to Tahiti, has said he was not aware of this financial assistance being a factor in the Maori exclusion.
He said they were much closer than they were 14 years ago.
A decision on Maori participation is likely to come after the 1995 SPG, where further discussions will take
place. □