Six athletes from Ra were in tears yesterday after their names were not in the system and officials had to stop them from participating in the Fiji Primary Schools Tucker Ice Cream Games at Suva’s HFC Bank Stadium.

A disappointed Ra District president Navu Maiwaqa said the Games officials have failed in their task to ensure that they have the names of all participation athletes.

“It’s really hurting and disappointing for us to be coming all the way from Ra, with the parents, supporters and for this to happen,” he told SUNsports.

“The children were not given a chance to participate because of the failure in the system.”

Maiwaqa said the students cried when they were stopped from taking part.

“We’ve given it to our team manager who is sorting it out, but the response was that these students will have to follow what was in the system,” he said.

“About 20 to 30 students in one event and the officials are just giving three heats. The system has displaced some of the athletes just to cater for those in the three heats.”

Maiwaqa said four of their athletes were displaced in the 800 metres event.

“It’s sad but what they (officials) are saying, whatever the system prints out we will go by that.

‘Some of the entries have been displaced from that system.”

He had hoped that there could be some level of flexibility from the Games organisers.

“This is grassroots level; they are not supposed to be using the system or at least have some flexibility at some of the areas.

“If the system fails, we are human beings we can just patch it out from there, but they said we’ll just have to follow the system so it’s really bad.”

Maiwaqa said one of their girl’s athletes had won a gold medal on Thursday but was stopped from receiving her gold medal because the officials said her name was not on the list.

“But upon re-checking they found her name and the gold medal was reinstated. But imagine the hurts our young athlete had to go through. It’s sad.”

Maiwaqa said the parents have complained of the athlete’s displacement.

When approached Fiji Primary Schools Athletics Association president Patrick Bower said the organisers have had a difficult time filling in entries for the respective events.

“Sometimes the entries are not put in, but they expect it to be in and they expect to do it in their own time,” he said.

“The closing time for entries is closed it is closed, and we have got to stick to the rules. We can’t be a stumbling block to the athletes.”

He has urged the district managers and athletes to adhere to the rules.

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