TITLE:
Mental Health of Indigenous Fijian Ex-Soccer Stars and Relation to Race and Class
AUTHORS:
Kieran Edmond James, Sheikh Ali Tanzil
KEYWORDS:
Alienation, Fiji Indians, Fiji Soccer, Indigenous Fijians, Poverty and Mental Health, Race and Class, Race/Ethnicity and Mental Health
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.15 No.12,
December
25,
2024
ABSTRACT: Fiji sports history is rich, with soccer thriving since the 1950s, especially among Fiji Indians in the sugarcane belts of Western Fiji and around Labasa on Vanua Levu, where many descendants of indentured labourers settled after 1920. Rugby, however, gained prominence with Fiji’s triple win at the Hong Kong Sevens from 1990 to 1992, marking the country’s rise on the world rugby stage. Today, soccer faces a stark decline as talented players shift their focus to rugby and rugby league, impacting the sport’s quality. This article spotlights seven former soccer stars from the 1970s and 1980s, exploring how poverty, income inequality, social exclusion from decision-making, and historical marginalization related to race and ethnicity have affected their mental health. These challenges highlight the personal and societal struggles that have emerged as the focus in Fiji sports shifts, leaving soccer and its ex-stars in a difficult position.