Pacific Games could include Australia, New Zealand

There is a chance that Australia and New Zealand could be a part of future Pacific Games.

Following the Oceania National Olympic Committee gathering in the Fijian resort town of Nadi last month, some talks are "in the pipeline to consider such changes to the Pacific's biggest sporting event", the state-run Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Carl Probert, chair of Fiji Athletes Commission, said it is just a suggestion that is being considered for now, reports Xinhua.

"There is a working committee that's going to look at how we might bring Australia and NZ into the Pacific competition. So I think that committee is underway and once they're ready with their findings they might comment on it," said Probert.

Meanwhile, plans were underway to allow athletes in every sport around the Pacific to have a say through athletes commissions to be formed in every country, according to the report.

"Objectives just to really coordinate and get athletes involved in all parts of sports, have their voices heard and take info up to board and even up to IOC (International Olympic Committee) level and to also have information flowing back down to all grassroots athletes, everything from sporting programs, opportunity, selection criteria, everything that affects the athletes," Probert said.

The idea of having Australia and New Zealand involved would be to increase the levels of competition in every sport played at the Pacific Games, commented the report.

The next games will be hosted in Papua New Guinea in 2015 followed by Tonga in 2019.