2011 Pacific Games Disputes Tribunal Appointment

2011 Pacific Games Disputes Tribunal Appointment

New Zealand barrister, Tim Castle, has been appointed Chairman of the Disputes Tribunal for the 2011 Pacific Games to be held in New Caledonia from 27 August until 10 September.

The Pacific Games are a four yearly event for the following 22 countries and territories ranging from the north to the south of the Pacific Ocean:
American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji Islands, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis & Futuna.

At the 2011 Games, the 27 sports in which athletes from all 22 countries and territories will compete include:

Compulsory
Athletics, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Football, Golf, Rugby 7s, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Va’a (Outrigger Canoeing), Volleyball, Weightlifting

Optional
Archery, Badminton, Baseball, Bodybuilding, Boxing, Cricket, Judo, Karate, Powerlifting, Sailing, Shooting, Squash, Surfing, Taekwondo, Triathlon

The Pacific Games are considered to be key to the international competitive prospects of athletes from the countries of the Pacific as a stepping stone to international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games and even the Olympic Games.

The Pacific Games, formerly known as the South Pacific Games, are held in different nations of the Pacific each four years. In the intervening two years the Pacific Mini Games are held, again as part of the potential stepping stone progress athletes can make from this region.

Several years ago Tim Castle was closely involved in redesigning and redrafting new constitutional protocols for the Pacific Games Council, including the crucial eligibility rules and regulations governing rights of participation across many small island nations. For family or employment reasons athletes of the Pacific move, work, train and live in various countries, even gain residency there, particularly where work is available away from the countries of their birth. Special eligibility rules were designed to meet these particular circumstances affecting the peoples of the South Pacific.

In a statement issued today by Andrew Minogue, Executive Director of the Pacific Games Council based in New Caledonia, the Council recognised the expertise and experience Tim Castle brings to this role as he did also as Chairman of the Games Disputes Tribunal for the 13th South Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa in 2007.

Tim was the first member from Oceania including Australasia to be appointed to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) based in Switzerland in 1991. This year his 20th year as a member of that Court was recognised. CAS is the world’s principal sports disputes adjudication body.

One of the more recent cases in which Tim sat as member of CAS relating to the South Pacific was in the case which Fiji brought to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the exclusion of its athletes from the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, in 2010 following Fiji’s suspension from the Commonwealth.
In addition the Pacific Games Council recognise that Tim was an inaugural appointee to the New Zealand Sports Disputes Tribunal and served with distinction on that body for eight years.

“Tim’s work in sport and sports law is known and recognised internationally; and we very much welcome his appointment for our Pacific Games this year” said Mr Minogue.
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