Pressure is mounting on the Samoa government to do more to recognise Ele Opeloge's achievement of winning the country's first ever Olympic medal.
The weightlifter was upgraded from fourth to second place in the women's over 75kg division at the 2008 Beijing Games, after two competitors were disqualified for drugs.
The Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, said last month the Government's policy was to only offers monetary awards for gold medal winners.
Samoa's Ele Opeloge at the Beijing Games, 2008. Photo: AFP
The Samoa Observer newspaper has since started a fund to raise money for the 31-year-old, which has been backed by the Presidents of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation and the Samoa Association of National Olympic Committees.
Our correspondent in Samoa, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, believed a change of heart from the government was not far away.
"Talking to people that are close to the Prime Minister, I think they are looking at making a monetary award for Ele," he said.
"But they want to make it a very low-profile at this time because the weightlifting federations is organising the ceremony for the presentation of the silver medal."
A ceremony to present the silver medal to Ele Opeloge is expected to be held in Apia later this month.
