The Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) awarded Vuli the honour to commemorate his work over the last 38 years.

Vuli has a combined total of 35 years as either a technical officer in his home country and as a lecturer for technical officials for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in the region.

This time has included spells as President and secretary of Athletics Fiji.

He has also served as vice-president of the Oceania Athletics Association (OAA) and secretary of the Fiji Secondary Schools’ Athletics Association.

"For his continued commitment, dedication and contribution to athletics in Fiji, FASANOC is very pleased to confer the Fiji Olympic Order to Filimoni Vuli Waqa," a FASANOC statement said.

In the past, Vuli has been the recipient of other awards, including being given the IAAF Veteran Pin in 2005.

He also received the Oceania Merit Award by the OAA in 2002 and four years later was given the FASANOC Distinguished Service Award.

Vuli was made a life member of the OAA in 2015.

He served as a technical official at the Pacific Games and Oceania Championships between 1998 and 2015 and also worked at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Along with these Games, Vuli was also an official at the 1989 World Junior Athletics Championships in Sydney.