Stock image of triathlon swimming. Photo: Copyright: elvinphoto / 123RF Stock Photo
The Samoa Triathlon Federation has been suspended from membership of the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC) and given until September 1 to resolve their internal differences.
Some members of the Triathlon Federation members are crying foul over their treatment by the SASNOC President Pauga Talalelei in dealing with their issues.
SASNOC sent the termination notice to Samoa Triathlon on July 19, advising of their suspension effective from July 7.
It said that Samoa Triathlon needs to sort itself out according to its constitution and elect executives according to that before they can be reinstated.
"STF will be restored back as an affiliated member sport of SASNOC when it has resolved all of its internal dispute and it has complied with all of its statutory requirements with government," vice president Leasi John Galuvao said in his letter.
SASNOC has also advised the World Triathlon Federation of the situation.
If Samoa Triathlon does not meet the requirements by September 1 the Samoa national sports association will take over the management of the sport and its preparations for the 2023 Pacfic Games in Solomon Islands.
SASNOC has also demanded that Samoa Triathlon return $16,000 tala it was given it for equipment funding.
A special general meeting has been called for the day before the deadline to try to resolve the matter.
Complaint letter
In an open letter to the Minister for Sport, Samoan triathlon member Lani Wendt-Young said they wanted SASNOC to come clean on why the national association has not accepted changes made in the executives of the triathlon federation.
Lani and her husband Darren are both triathletes and have been prominent in promoting the sport in Samoa.
"I would like to ask please, about the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee. If SASNOC is the governing body for sports in Samoa - who checks SASNOC? Who holds them accountable? Who makes sure they are following their constitution?" she asked.
She said the question has come up because of the way SASNOC has handled their issues.
"I ask because in April this year we sought advice from SASNOC officials about our sports federation. Our President has been living in New Zealand since 2020. There's been no annual general meeting since 2015. No financial audits done. The president has been in his position for going on nine years now.
"We asked, what should we do? We were advised to follow our constitution. We tried that.
"The constitution requires that all Board members reside in Samoa. Wow, we thought this is straightforward then! We had a meeting, 36 members agreed he couldn't be President because he doesn't live here. We elected a new Board. We told SASNOC. We fixed the problem, yay!
"But no. SASNOC said we had to work things out with him. We hadn't followed the constitution closely enough."
The triathlon course in Apia was given a test run for the Pacific Island Champs. Photo: Samoa 2019 Pacific Games
Samoa Triathlon then called a special general meeting as per its constitution.
"We followed every constitutional detail to the letter. We even got legal counsel to help us make sure our meeting would be 100 percent legit. The meeting was held," Wendt-Young said.
"SASNOC board members were official observers. We removed the president and his executives and we voted 46 for to 1 against. We got a new Executive, made up of athletes, parents and coaches. All the people who are doing the work for our sport.
"SASNOC said they don't accept our meeting outcome. They don't recognise our new Executive or the old one. They said, work things out and we have three months or they'll suspend the federation completely. I'm confused.
"What is it about 46 to 1 members voting that SASNOC doesn't accept? What other kind of "work it out" do they have in mind? It seems like the only acceptable #workItOut outcome SASNOC will accept, is one where the old president gets to still be the president and keep doing what he's doing."
Triathlon head calls claims' garbage'
The President of the Samoa Triathlon Federation, Seti Afoa, said the claims were being made by people who did not have the future of the sport at heart.
"I am not responding to garbage and accusations made by people who are just trying to destroy the sport of triathlon," he told RNZ Pacific.
He added that he has called for a special general meeting on August 31 - one day before the September 1 deadline is due - to "sort it out".
Parties need to work together - SASNOC
SASNOC president Pauga Talalelei told RNZ Pacific that SASNOC had dealt with the Samoa Triathlon issues adequately.
"We feel we have adequately fulfilled our role as SASNOC to take care of STF matters. STF needs to conduct their own affairs in accordance with their own constitution. SASNOC can only advise," he said.
"But the two parties appear to demonstrate their own rights and we advise the best solution is for them to work together and resolve their issues for the betterment of STF. We only accept one STF."
Talalelei said the main issue with Samoa Triathlon is the fact that the different sides are not able to work with each other and they have dragged SASNOC into their internal affairs.