A small group of officials and supporters of Team Niue 2022 were at Auckland International Airport this week to meet the officials and the athletes from Niue, including Team Manager Brad Ikinepule Etuata.
From Auckland, Team Niue Manager Brad Etuata in a message to BCN News shared his views on how the legal disputes had affected the team’s preparation for the Games and more importantly people’s relationships.
“There are really no winners. I feel for the athletes that are left behind. I feel that the situation that happened, the friendships and families have broken up because of this.
While it’s good that the Niue bowling team is going to represent Niue, ideally I had hoped under different circumstances,” said Brad Etuata.
He said that he won’t comment on the Chief Justice’s judgment but ‘all I can say is, let’s look forward to the representation and the athletes traveling to the Games’.
“We are looking forward to representing our motu with pride and hopefully we can come to a resolution when we come and I hope that people will go back to being friends and closer families,” said Team Niue Manager Brad Etuata.
Several days ago a Facebook page was created for Team Niue and posted a picture of the NISCGA president Maru Talagi with Chef de mission Tony Edwards, NISCGA Secretary-General Sidney Lui, Team Niue Manager Brad Etuata, John Kaulima, Norman Mitimeti, and Tukala Matua Tagelagi of the lawn bowls squad and a small group of supporters holding up the Niue flag.
Also uploaded to the Facebook page were pictures of the Niue-based athletes Tukala Tagelagi and Norman Mitimeti practicing at the Papatoetoe Bowling Club.
Premier Dalton Tagelagi who is also part of the lawn bowls men’s team was also seen at the Suva Lawn Bowls club practicing this week while attending the Pacific Islands Forum.
You can show your support and stay up to date with what is happening with the preparations of Team Niue for the Birmingham Games on their Facebook page Team Niue B2022.
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will begin on Thursday 28th of July this month.