21 Sep 2013

No school sports in American Samoa for two weeks due to violence

6:17 am on 21 September 2013

All school sports for the next two weeks in American Samoa have been cancelled due to recent violence at volleyball games.

This comes after three high school students were injured when their bus was attacked following a late night volleyball game Tuesday night.

The students from Tafuna High School had just finished playing at Fagaitaua High School when people started throwing rocks at their bus.

The vehicle was extensively damaged and 3 students hurt.

The Department of Education Athletic Program Director, Tumua Matu'u, says due to the recent incidences, the Board has moved to suspend all American Samoa High School Athletics Association competitions for the next two weeks.

She added that future incidences violating the safety of student athletes and staff members will move the Board to consider the cancellation of all high school competitions for the remainder of the school year.

However the Director of Education Vaitinasa Dr Salu Hunkin Finau has recommended that all sporting competitions be suspended indefinitely.

Vaitinasa wrote to the board recommending that instead of two weeks, all high school sporting competitions be suspended indefinitely, until the students and parents involved in the attack take full responsibility for the injury of students and damages to Department of Education property.