Pacific Games

The Pacific Games (known as the South Pacific Games till 2011) is an Olympic-style multi-sport event (on a smaller scale), held in South Pacific countries such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga etc. The event is organized by the Pacific Games Council, the governing body for these games. Vidhya Lakhan from Fiji is the current President of the council. The objective of introducing such games is to promote unity and brotherhood amongst the nations and people of the South Pacific region. The first Pacific Games was organized in the year 1963 at Suva, Fiji. Initially, the games were hosted after a gap of every three years, but since 1975, it turned quadrennial. About 646 athletes from 13 island territories and nations participated in the first event. Since 1981, Pacific Mini Games has also been organized by the Pacific Games Council, enabling smaller countries to host events against each other. It is also hosted in a passage of every four years. The first Mini event was hosted by Solomon Islands. 

All the sports included in these Games are divided into three categories-

• Open Competitions- These sports are not specified for a particular gender i.e., both men and women participate in these sports.
• Women's Competitions- Netball is played only by women.   
• Men's Competition- Rugby League Nines is played only by men.