Pacific Games

The idea of holding the South Pacific Games originated with Dr A.H. Sahu Khan who was one of Fiji's representatives at a meeting of the South Pacific Commission held at Rabaul during 1959. The idea was adopted and led to a meeting of nine Territories, held in Nouméa during March 1961, which awarded Fiji the honour of hosting the very first Games.[1]

During 1962, the South Pacific Commission founded the South Pacific Games Council, with the first ever Games being held at Suva, Fiji. In the 40 years since, Games have been held in 12 countries and territories within the region. Initially the Games were held at three-year intervals although this was subsequently expanded to four following the Tumon Games in Guam.

As a residual consequence of the European colonisation of the Pacific from the early part of the 18th Century onwards, many nations who participated in the first Games (of 1963) were under predominantly British or French territorial rule. Understandably this generated a certain amount of confusion as both British and French flags and national anthems dominated proceedings and were occasionally used together for winning countries.
Western Samoa (now Samoa) was the only country with a flag and anthem of its sovereignty as it was the only participating independent island nation at that time. As time went on, fledgling nations gradually achieving sovereignty of their own sought to extricate themselves from their colonial past and new national anthems and flags emerged. Nevertheless, English and French remain the official languages of the Games.[2]

Like other sporting events, the South Pacific Games has experienced slight controversies. A minor dispute that still continues today is the scheduling of events landing on a Sunday. Throughout the Pacific, the Christian Sabbath remains very important (sporting events or similar activity are illegal in Tonga for example) and scheduling at such a time would be frowned upon. The events themselves have also been affected by religious sensitivities, notably beach volleyball where the official uniform of bikinis for women has been forced to give way to more conservative attire.[3] However other larger nations within the region or those loosely associated with more secular states (e.g. Cook Islands (New Zealand), American Samoa (United States), and French Polynesia (France)) are more moderate in this regard.

Other global and regional events have also influenced and shaped the Games' history. In 1995, the year Papeete, Tahiti hosted the Games, many countries took the decision to boycott as a direct protest at French nuclear testing in the Pacific.[4] The Games, however, returned to near full regional participation in the following event in 1999, held on Guam.

The first objective of the Pacific Games Council, according to its Charter,[5] is

"To create bonds of kindred friendship and brotherhood amongst people of the countries of the Pacific region through sporting exchange without any distinctions as to race, religion or politics."

The Games were initiated to promote and develop sport amongst the nations and peoples of the South Pacific.[1] After fifty years in existence, The South Pacific Commission changed its name to the Pacific Community.[1]

The XII South Pacific Games held in Suva, Fiji saw for the first time the introduction of a full program of 32 sports.[6] That program included sports that are synonymous with the Pacific region as well as sports that have a limited participation and are generally not well established.

A strong corporate sponsorship package a first for the games enabled the organizers to work with a free hand towards their aims of making the games a success. A colorful and effective media and publicity campaign generated much interest and enthusiasm among the public in Fiji. Schools and youth groups were involved in interactive programs such as the adopt-a-country program also a first for the games.[7]

The XIII Pacific Games were hosted in Apia, Samoa. They were the 13th to have been held since 1963. In contrast to the Olympic Games which are expected to generate income for the host nation,[8] the 2007 Pacific Games were expected to leave Samoa US$92million in debt, predominantly as a result of expenditure on large-scale infrastructure projects such as bridges and roads.[9]

Potential debt positions notwithstanding, five nations (Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga and American Samoa) bid for the 2015 Pacific Games. The Games were ultimately awarded to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and follow the 2011 Pacific Games held in Nouméa, New Caledonia. However the rising cost (purportedly in excess of $1 billion) and the logistical burden of putting on the games continue to threaten countries' abilities to host the event.[10]

Membership of the Council includes internationally recognised National Multisport Organisations within countries and territories who are members of the Pacific Community.[5] There are currently 22 members, 15 of which are members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).[11] The Pitcairn Islands are the only Pacific Community member that is not a member of the Pacific Games Council, whereas Norfolk Island was admitted as a member of the Council despite not being a member of the Pacific Community.

In July 2014, the Oceania National Olympic Committees voted to allow Australia and New Zealand to take part in the 2015 Pacific Games. The risk of seeing the two wealthy, developed nations dominate the competition had previously prevented their inclusion. They were allowed to send participants only in rugby sevens, sailing, taekwondo and weightlifting - sports where other Pacific countries had proved sufficiently competitive against them in the past.[12] Australia and New Zealand have since continued to compete on an invitational basis.

In 2018, the Council created an "associate membership" category for other territories in Oceania.[13] Potential candidates for membership include Easter Island, West Papua, Hawaii and Christmas Island.[14]

Nation	Organisation	Website
American Samoa	American Samoa National Olympic Committee (ASNOC)	https://asnoc.org/
Cook Islands	Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC)	oceaniasport.com/cookis
Federated States of Micronesia	Federated States of Micronesia National Olympic Committee (FSMNOC)	oceaniasport.com/fsm
Fiji	Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC)	fijiolympiccommittee.com
Guam	Guam National Olympic Committee (GNOC)	oceaniasport.com/guam
Kiribati	Kiribati National Olympic Committee (KNOC)	oceaniasport.com/kiribati
Marshall Islands	Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee (MINOC)	oceaniasport.com/marshalls
Nauru	Nauru Olympic Committee	oceaniasport.com/nauru
New Caledonia	Comité territorial olympique et sportif de Nouvelle-Calédonie (CTOS)	www.ctos.nc
Niue	Niue Island Sports and Commonwealth Games Association (NISCGA)	oceaniasport.com/niue
Norfolk Island	Norfolk Island Amateur Sports & Commonwealth Games Association	sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=3852
Northern Mariana Islands	Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association	sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=3859
Palau	Palau National Olympic Committee (PNOC)	oceaniasport.com/palau
Papua New Guinea	Papua New Guinea Sports Federation & National Olympic Committee (PNGSFOC)	oceaniasport.com/png
Samoa	Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC)	oceaniasport.com/samoa
Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands National Olympic Committee (NOCSI)	oceaniasport.com/solomon
Tahiti	Comité olympique de Polynésie française (COPF)	www.copftahiti.com
Tokelau	Tokelau Sports Federation	sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=3861
Tonga	Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC)	oceaniasport.com/tonga
Tuvalu	Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (TASNOC)	oceaniasport.com/tuvalu
Vanuatu	Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (VASANOC)	oceaniasport.com/vanuatu
Wallis and Futuna	Comité territorial olympique et sportif des îles Wallis et Futuna (CTOSWF)	wallisetfutuna.franceolympique.com

The number of Pacific Games core sports is 17, effective for the 2023 Games. The core sports are required to be included at every edition of the games.[16] Sailing and Triathlon were made core sports in 2016,[16] and Archery was added in 2021.[17]

Details for each core sport, up to and including the 2023 games, are presented in the table below:

Sport (discipline)			Contested	Years
Archery			8 times	1971–1975, 1995, 2003–2011, 2019–present
Athletics			All	1963–present
Basketball  a	(5x5)		All	1963–present
	Basketball (3x3)		2 times	2019–present
Boxing			All	1963–present
Football			16 times	1963–1995, 2003–present
Golf			15 times	1969–present
Judo			12 times	1969–1979, 1987, 1995–2011, 2019–present
Outrigger canoeing (va'a)			8 times	1995–present
Rugby sevens			6 times	1999–present
Sailing			14 times	1969–1979, 1987–present
Swimming			16 times	1963–1979, 1987–present
Table tennis			All	1963–present
Taekwondo			8 times	1995–present
Tennis			All	1963–present
Triathlon			8 times	1995–present
Volleyball  b	(indoor)		All	1963–present
	Volleyball (beach)		7 times	1999–present
Weightlifting			16 times	1966–present

There are 20 sports optional for inclusion at a games, as selected by the host nation's organising committee. Details for each optional sport, up to and including the 2023 games, are presented in the table below:

Sport (discipline)			Contested	Years
Badminton			4 times	2003–2011, 2019
Baseball			4 times	1999–2011
Billiards			0 Never	N/A
Bodybuilding			6 times	1995, 2003–2015, 2023
Cricket			8 times	1979, 1987–1991, 2003–present
Cycling			5 times	1966, 1971–1975, 1987, 1995
Field hockey			5 times	1979, 2003–2007, 2015, 2023
Handball			0 Never	N/A
Karate			6 times	1995–2003, 2011–2015, 2023
Lawn bowls			7 times	1979, 1983, 1991, 2003–2007, 2015–2019
Netball c			13 times	1963–1969, 1979–1983, 1991–2007, 2015–present
Powerlifting			7 times	1995, 2003–present
Rugby league nines			4 times	2007, 2015–present
Shooting			7 times	1987, 1995, 2003–2019
Snooker			0 Never	N/A
Softball			6 times	1969–1975, 1991, 2007, 2015
Squash			9 times	1979–1991, 2003–2019
Surfing			4 times	1995, 2003–2011
Touch rugby d			5 times	2003–2007, 2015–present
Wrestling			2 times	1999, 2007

Former sports include rugby 15s (replaced by rugby 7s) and underwater fishing (last contested in 1999).

Sport (discipline)			Contested	Years
Rugby union			9 times	1963–1971, 1979–1995
Underwater fishing			4 times	1971–1975, 1995–1999

Also included at the 2009 Pacific Mini Games was rugby league 7s (now replaced by rugby league 9s).

Notes:

• Former Oceania Sport Information Centre page on SportsTG at the Wayback Machine (archived 29 November 2018)

• Former Oceania Sport Information Centre page on FoxSportsPulse at the Wayback Machine (archived 2 August 2016)