The 2025 Pacific Mini Games set to officially open on Sunday. Photo: Facebook / Pacific Mini Games Palau 2025
Team Niue is not competing at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau.
Both the Niue Island Sports and Commonwealth Games Association and the Pacific Games Council confirmed to RNZ Pacific on Wednesday that Niue pulled out of the event in May.
"It is just too expensive," general secretary Sidney Lui said when asked why there are no Niue athletes in Koror.
"Teams pulled out last minute due to affordability."
She said it would cost a single member around NZ$8,000 (more than US$4800) to make the flight from Niue to Koror, Palau, via Auckland, Brisbane and Taiwan.
"Thats the cheapest route. That's buying a new car."
Sidney Lui Photo: Supplied
On top of that, Niue Weightlifting were not registered, something that Lui was disappointed with.
"We also found out that Niue Weightlifting did not register the athletes in the IWF [International Weightlifting Federation] portal. Same thing they did to them in Birmingham," she said.
"Sad because [weightlifting] was our last hope."
'Disappointed'
Pacific Games Council (PGC) chief executive Andrew Minogue confirmed Niue's withdrawal from the Games.
"PGC is disappointed in Niue PGA (Pacific Games Association) for not fulfilling their obligations to send at least one athlete to the Games," he said in response to questions sent to him.
"There was no announcement by the PGC as such; however all the stakeholders and organisers in Palau were made aware immediately after the 15 May entries deadline.
"The PGC worked with Niue PGA prior to this deadline to find at least one athlete and provide financial incentive to help with their travel costs. However, they could not identify an athlete willing to participate."
RNZ Pacific became aware of an issue with Niue when we noticed that Niue was missing from the Mini Games medal tally after day two of competition, but it was on the medal table after day one.
Mingoue said the medal tally software includes all countries by default, "so we made the adjustment yesterday (Tuesday) once we saw Niue still listed".
Both the PGC and Niue confirmed there was no penalty dished out for the withdrawal.
Financing for the trip to Palau was an issue that majority of the island countries faced, especially those from the greater Polynesian region, including Fiji, one of the furthest Melanesian countries from Koror.
Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu governments chartered special flights to get their athletes and officials over to Palau last week, ahead of Sunday's opening ceremony.
