Jason Pine: No winners in FSM floggings

The Federated States of Micronesia lost their latest game at the Pacific Games/Olympic qualifying tournament in Papua New Guinea to Vanuatu 46-0. Photo / Getty Images

I'm all for inclusiveness in international sport, but at the Pacific Games football tournament today Vanuatu beat the Federated States of Micronesia 46-0. Forty-six nil.

That's a goal every 117 seconds.

There's even conjecture about that score, because reports had the score-keeper giving up midway through the second half. I reckon he lost count.

It wasn't a one-off, either. Two days previously, FSM lost 38-0 to Fiji and before that 30-0 to Tahiti - 114 goals conceded in three games.

How can this possibly be good for either them or their opponents?

Those results are utterly meaningless. All they do is show the folly of including a side so clearly out of their depth that it's beyond comprehension.

Yes, teams often lose heavily to better sides, but 46-0? You know there's an issue once a team hits double figures.

Players from all countries deserve the chance to develop and grow the game of football in their nations, but not like this. Not here. What is being developed or achieved here?

To have a team playing in a tournament that concedes 115 goals in three games is beyond ridiculous.

In their - probably noble - attempts to be inclusive, the tournament organisers (Oceania Football Confederation) have instead created an imbalance of massive proportions.

They've devalued the tournament, made the Federated States of Micronesia a laughing stock and destroyed those players for life.

There's no way they should even be there.