The administration of sports in Samoa has come under the microscope once more. American-based Samoan Sprinter, Jeremy Dodson, has raised serious questions about the way sports are run. “From the three years I have represented Samoa, I have seen officials do nothing but get free trips, trips spent lounging in sponsored hotels while athletes eat processed food,” he said. “I have seen officials get elected not off merits, but friendships. I have seen decisions being made about sports they have never attended or know anything about. I have even seen sport funding being spent on bar tabs that date back over three years in Apia bars!” The President of Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (S.A.S.N.O.C), Fepulea’i Patrick Fepulea’i, in response said he respects Dodson’s right to voice his views but “unfortunately I do not agree with his generalisations.” “I am disappointed with his generalisation including false accusations that we are funnelling money into our pockets. Sports administrators, other than the full time staff do not get paid. They do this on a voluntary basis,” Fepulea’i said. What do you think? Ulimasao Fata asked in today’s Street Talk and this is what people said:

Nifo Simone - Tulaele, 37

I believe there is corruption in most sports administration in Samoa. 

And I think corruption is the reason our national teams are not doing well in the international levels. Some national team officials like Coaches and Managements mostly pick the players whom they are related to for overseas competitions while the right people stay here. Another evidence of the administrations not doing their job well is related to the case in the Rugby World Cup 2011 when the team Captain and almost the whole team complained of misused money by the Manu Samoa Management while they were in New Zealand. Our teams are doing well and as long as the administrations have the right motives aligned with the players, trust me they will produce good results for Samoa.

Fa’afetai Timo - Vaitele Fou, 29

To me I think the development of all the sports here in Samoa is good, but the only issue I often hear a lot about in sports is relating to money and organizing sports events.

On the issue of money, I think some, but not all the sports administrations, are being honest when it comes to money. I think if money was well looked after by all the administrations here in Samoa, for sure no one will want to play for any other country. 

We should pay our own players with good money and not feed the pockets of team officials with money invested for the development of all the Sports in Samoa.

Tasi Iuli - Tuana’i, 31

Some officials and administrations are not capable of what they have been chosen for; I think that’s why some National team representatives of our country are not doing so well on the international stage. Most team officials are there because they know they will get paid, but in terms of qualification and experience, they really don’t have it. 

What I mean is that we have to decrease the number of officials travelling in any team so we can use the money to pay well-qualified Samoan athletes to represent Samoa.

Suau’u Lafai - Puipa’a, 45

To me personally, I think the more changes we make to any sports administration will surely cause problems. My opinion comes from our Manu Samoa administration, we’ve been changing so many Coaches and Management to handle the team but there has been no improvement so far. I think the best thing we should do is to get as many qualified people as possible for the position and let them handle the job with no corruption.

Maria Faitau - Vaitele Fou, 54

Well to me I don’t think there is anything wrong about how the sports administration in Samoa is running Sports here.

My point is that, it will all come down to the person, if he/she will be honest and give their all to represent the country as a player and as well as an official.

Sports management staff in Samoa are qualified and experienced in what they do and I believe that they understand all the obstacles that they face along the way.