ONOC

Speaking to Loop Samoa, ONOC President Dr Robin Mitchell said they have been in discussions with the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC) in the past few days and they feel for the athletes and the administrators.

“We are very sad that the Samoa Weightlifting team will not be participating at the Olympics. They are the top within the region when it comes to the sport.”

“They have trained so hard to for the past few years to get to where they are and such decisions can be difficult,” he said.

Fifteen countries and territories are now set to take part in the camps prior to the next edition of the Summer Games: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Eight sports are currently planned for the camps, including swimming, athletics, weightlifting and wrestling.

As well as ONOC, six other parties signed the MoU.

ONOC President Dr Robin Mitchell assured sports editors and journalists of ONOC’s support to the association.

“I’m pleased for the revival which would greatly enhance and improve networking locally and regionally,” said Dr Mitchell.

He highlighted various upcoming major events such as the Rio Olympics and why its so crucial that the media is organised.

This finalises the successful implementation of recommendations 30 to 32 of Olympic Agenda 2020 - which also included a complete revision of the IOC Code of Ethics - just less than eight months since its unanimous approval last December.

Those are the words of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, speaking at the 128th Session of the IOC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“We are living in the middle of a modern and diverse society that holds us accountable for what we do. This is why from the very beginning of developing the Olympic Agenda 2020, it was important to have close consultation with stakeholders from inside and outside the Olympic Movement. 

“This is what made the Olympic Agenda 2020 truly inclusive, transparent and reflective of the many priorities of all stakeholders. 

Speaking at the opening of four day meeting President Bach said that IOC cannot take things for granted anymore following recent events in other sports organisations. 

“People today demand more transparency and want to see concrete steps and results on how we are living up to our values and our responsibility. We need to demonstrate that we are indeed walking the walk and not just talking the talk. 

The officials are: John Coates- IOC Vice President (Australia), Dr Robin Mitchell- IOC Member (Fiji), Barry Maister- IOC Member (New Zealand), Barbara Kendall- IOC Member (New Zealand), James Tomkins- IOC Member (Australia), Kevan Gosper- IOC Honorary Member (Australia) and Phil Coles- IOC Honorary Member (Australia).

The crucial decision at this session will be made on Friday July 31 on the election of the host city for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and for the 2020 Youth Olympic Winter Games.

Dr Mitchell, an IOC member himself says the recently approved Agenda 2020 has been adopted by 2020 Olympic Games hosts Japan.  

“I was recently in Tokyo for the Coordination Committee meeting and Tokyo has very quickly taken on board the recommendations of the IOC which resulted in them saving 1.3 billion dollars already in venue preparation.”

Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (VASANOC) President Antoine Boudier said they haven’t received any feedback from Melanesian Spearhead Group headquarters in Port Villa on the adoption of the new constitution by the leaders.

“Earlier this year in March we had a consultation in New Caledonia in regard of drafting the constitution or redrafting the constitution because it was mainly politically driven and was not going in accordance with the Pacific Games Council charter or the IOC or the International Federations.