There are only four weeks left before the opening of the 7th PNG Games in Kimbe, and team Western Highlands still has no sponsor.
Yesterday, the Hagen District Sports Association came opened up to the media about what the Provincial Sports Council has been doing in preparation for the games.
Provincial Sports Council Chairman, Steven Mokai, told EMTV News today that they have a budget, but have no funding available.
Hagen District Sports Association President, Simon Kama, said the team will need at least K500, 000 or less for travelling expenses, accommodation, food, uniforms, and other necessities.
There are about 168 athletes from team Western Highlands who were selected to represent the Province, in less than 10 codes.
The codes are basketball, taekwondo, golf, athletics, Paralympics, boxing, kick boxing, power lifting, weight lifting and bowling.
However, Mr Kama said they have no solid preparation and team bonding and training for all the sporting codes has not started yet.
Provincial Sports Council chairman, Steven Mokai and Team Western Highlands Manager, Peter Nepil said their last resort would be to scale down the number of athletes.
Mokai said funding is an issue for team Western Highlands, due to the cash flow problem the Country is currently facing.
They have also written to business houses to secure sponsors, but they have received the same responses, that their operations are also affected by the current cash flow problem.
Team Manager Nepil said most of the athletes in team Western Highlands will have to defend their medals in the coming games, and they are not looking at cancelling anything.
Team Western Highlands has always produced top athletes, such as Toea Wisil, and says they will try everything they can, to send the team to Kimbe.
They are also appealing to the four open MP’s to support the team.
