Fiji And Nigeria Will Be At Empire Games

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1949, Page 5

Fiji And Nigeria Will Be At Empire Games

Ptprs Association)

(Per

ATJCTCLAXD, Sept. fi. Tlie Fi ii Amateur Sports Association will send rep^psent at ives 1o comxiete in the British Empire Games in Auckland next February. The organisiirg committee of the Games tonight received advice that the British Empire Games Federation in London had accepted the acsociation as a dulv aftiliated bodv and that this had removed the bar to Fiji 's entrv. IMr C. Prenticp, secretary of the Fiji Association, informed the organising committee that Fiji had not previously had an athletic organisation of any kind althougli it was hopeful of produeing some talent. Tt would not be until the first Fiji amateur athletic championship meeting was held on Oession Dav. October 10, that any idea could be 0btained on the number of uominations likelv to be made. The Amateur" Athletic Association of Xigeria will be "botli proud and happy" to participate in tho Games, according to Mr A. O. Hands, chairbian of the association in a lelter to tlie organising committee of the Games. Thrteam is likely to travel to Auckland with the English team sailing from London in December. Canadian athletics compoting at the Games are likely to mnke appearanees ilx other centres of New Zealand and in Australia, according to information supplied to the organising committee. Ma,jor J. W. Davies, secretary of the Brijtish Empire Games Association of Cnnada, notified tlie committee that a number of the 62 competitors and ten offieials likely to be sent to the Games, would not leave Auckland to return to Vancouver until April 4,