Hard knox life

Politics, it could be argued, is like a sport: it’s played in teams; there are both winners and losers; with experience comes expertise; some players act honourably, while other cheat; and it’s followed by the masses.
However, there’s nothing political about sports. But, all too often, politics have a habit of crossing over – albeit unwelcome – into the sports world.
As a reporter for the Fiji Daily Post, I often cover sports stories, usually Australian Rules football, or footy as it’s called.
Aussie Rules, a game that mixes rugby and soccer, is hugely popular in Australia. Recently, the professional league, the AFL, launched the sport in Fiji. As part of the effort to get Fijians interested in the new sport, the AFL recruited local talent to play professional footy in Australia.
Naturally gifted athletes, Fijians took to the new sport like, well, Fijians to sport. The top performers won scholarships to train with pro AFL teams.
One such athlete, 22-year-old Inoke “Knox” Ratu, was selected to play for the Western Bulldogs.
I met Knox at an AFL press conference. Decked out in bright blue Western Bulldogs gear, standing 6’5”, with the physique of a professional swimmer, Knox introduces himself to me. He tells me he’s working in local high schools setting up footy teams and helping assemble a Fiji boys squad to compete in the upcoming Oceania Cup.
I ask Knox what it’s like to play professional footy and he says he hasn’t actually played in a pro game yet. I think nothing of his answer and assume he’s still training or perhaps it’s the off-season.
Later when talking to my editor, I find out the shocking reason Knox hasn’t played with the Bulldogs.
It turns out his father is an officer in the Fiji military, and Australia and New Zealand have imposed travel sanctions on all members of Fiji’s ruling regime – and their family members. Therefore, Knox can’t enter Australia.
This outrages me.
Fiji isn’t exactly the land of opportunity. Their average household income is $5,000. But playing pro footy in Australia – regarded as the land of opportunity in the Pacific – Knox could make a good living doing something he loves.
And yet he’s stuck in Suva.
I’ll regularly see Knox at the gym, usually sporting Western Bulldogs gear. But his despair doesn’t show. Instead of complaining, Knox spends his days training young Fijians to play the sport he may never get a chance to play. Like an uninvited party crasher, politics continues to show up in sport.