Athletes face water woes at Apia Park

Teams and athletes training at Apia Park, Samoa's premium sports stadium, are unable to use the bathrooms, let alone drink from the tap.

That's because the water has been disconnected.

The Samoa Observer was told that tennis, rugby and athletics have had to put up with no running tap water since January.

Head Coach for Samoa Athletics team, Ah Chong Sam Chong, confirmed the problem.

He said his athletics team had been training at Apia Park since the beginning of the year without any water.  

Also a coach for tennis, Sam Chong said it is the same problem at the tennis Courts. 

“For the boys we don’t mind,” Sam Chong told the Samoa Observer. 

“But we also have girls in the team. In the junior tennis programme, we have children that are under 12 years old. 

“If it’s an 8-year-old they really can’t hold it and some children are not used to you know going under the tree…it’s a major concern for the girls.” 

Sam Chong said parents of the children have also expressed concerns about hygiene with the water supply being cut. 

Although the water problem hasn’t affected the coach’s athletics team, it has forced other children to miss their tennis lessons. 

“The boys are fine with using the track and we just have to figure out the rest [with the bathroom],” said Sam Chong. 

He added the Samoa Sports Facility Authority had told him the reason why the water was cut is because of water bills from the Pacific Games. 

Attempts to get a comment from S.S.F.A. and the Pacific Games Office were unsuccessful. 

Phone calls were placed to the office for an appointment with the Chief Executive Officer, Moefa’auo Salale Moananu. 

A staff member said the C.E.O. was in a meeting and to send through queries via email. 

This was done and no official response was received by press time. 

The Pacific Games, C.E.O. Falefata Hele Matatia did not respond to an email about claims on outstanding water bills from the Pacific Games. 

When the Samoa Observer visited the Apia Park on Thursday evening, there was a netball squad training at the stadium and the athletics team. 

The bathrooms were closed and the students at the venue said they have to wait until they get home to use the bathroom.