10 Feb 2012

Sport: Fiji Football optimistic of retaining Oceania Nations Cup

11:42 am on 10 February 2012

The Fiji Football Association remains optimistic that it will still host the Oceania Nations Cup tournament in June, despite next month's Olympic qualifiers being shifted to New Zealand.

The Oceania Football Confederation announced this week that the men's under-23 competition will now be held in Taupo, with the women's qualifiers to go ahead in Tonga.

It came after the interim government threatened legal action against OFC secretary general, Tai Nicholas, following comments he made about the country's judicial system.

The President of the Fiji Football Association, Rajesh Patel, says he's still hopeful the Nations Cup will stay in Fiji.

"We cannot count our chickens before it's hatched and we will try our best to resolve it and that's what I can say right now. It is something that we've already talked in Oceania meetings. David Chung is the Vice President of FIFA and he's the President of Oceania - they are aware of the situation that has arisen and it is something we are trying to work out."

Rajesh Patel says it's a shame that a number of Fijian football fans, both in Fiji and in Auckland, won't get the chance to see the team play in Taupo.