Cabinet has approved the Safety in Sports Participation Policy.
Cabinet based its decision on a submission by the Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr Viliame Naupoto.
The Minister said that the risks of Sports injury are high at all levels particularly for contact sports.
“This halts potential athletes’ development, causing untimely retirement and serious loss to personal income.”
He said that there are numerous controllable factors that need to be managed strategically to ensure results are attained through sports, and with Sports as a thriving industry and a source of employment for Fijians locally and internationally there is a need for a policy to safeguard our citizens against sporting injuries.
The Minister said that the Safety in Sports Policy recognizes the need to institute safety measures through manageable and attainable approaches to ensure minimal occurrence of sports injuries.
The Minister further said that creating a culture of safety in sports warrants that appropriate attention be made towards risk management strategies, OHS compliant facilities, prohibition of drugs in sports, proper teaching and coaching competencies, application of first aid, usage of proper protective equipment, observance of age limits in age group competition and exclusion of any form of abuse.
-ENDS-