Fijian Women Break Sports Barriers

Adi Lewanavanua and the Path to the World Cup

For two decades, Adi Lewanavanua built a career in Fijian sports as a national representative in football and a coach. Despite her extensive background in sports administration, professional commentary was never a viable career path until she gained access to specific training.

Through the Women in News and Sport initiative, Lewanavanua received the mentorship necessary to transition into broadcasting. Her rise culminated in a role at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Her work has become a benchmark for others; she emphasizes that the transition for retired athletes is essential to ensure gender equality in sports media.

Mentorship and the Women in News and Sport Initiative

The shift in Fiji’s sports media landscape is not accidental; it is being driven by structured development programs. Peter Longman led the first cohort of the Women in News and Sport commentary initiative, which focuses on providing pathways for women who have sports experience but lack formal training in sports journalism. This program aims to bridge the gap that historically kept female athletes from becoming commentators.

Before these programs existed, she noted that it was nearly impossible for those without a background in journalism to enter the field, unlike established commentators such as Asinate Wainiqolo and Eleina McDonald, who entered through traditional media roles.

Expanding the Reach of Female Sports Voices

Lewanavanua is also a contributor to Hear Us Roar, a recently released anthology featuring 17 emerging women football writers from 11 countries. Her contribution, titled Coconut Football: A Bittersweet Relationship, documents her personal journey in the sport. By participating in both media commentary and sports literature, Lewanavanua is diversifying the ways women contribute to sports storytelling.

As Lewanavanua told the ABC, gender equality is promoted through campaigns, but without space in mainstream media, the progress of women in sport will remain limited.

Eleina McDonald and the Future of Fijian Sports Broadcasting

Eleina McDonald stands alongside Lewanavanua as a central figure in this transition. A highly accomplished athlete who has represented Fiji in rugby union, basketball, and hockey, McDonald is now establishing herself as a pioneering commentator.

While individuals like Wainiqolo, McDonald, and Lavenia Lativerata have begun to normalize the presence of women in the industry, the long-term impact of these initiatives depends on whether mainstream media continues to offer these women the platform to grow. The current generation of commentators is not just calling games; they are actively working to ensure that the next generation of female athletes has a clear, established path to the microphone.