Olympics: Fiji athletes in tug-of-war

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Fiji's Olympic hopefuls are being torn two ways as the chaos in their homeland threatens their chances of getting to Sydney.

While Fijian trade unions are urging the athletes to boycott the Games because of the coup, the Australian Government is encouraging them to compete.

Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, has said the Fiji team will not be banned, even though other nations, including New Zealand, have stopped Fijian sports teams from touring.

But there are more immediate problems for Fiji's strongest medal hope, boardsailor Tony Philp, who has become stranded in Europe.

Philp, a five-time Olympian who won silver at last year's world championships, says he does not have enough money to fly to Sydney, or Fiji, after his funding from the Government dried up early in the coup.

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