Website Guide HERE
X
.jpg)
While most of us had a safe Christmas season, we are still in the middle of an ongoing global pandemic. As predicted, after more than two years, it is now entering our previously COVID-free Pacific Island countries and territories in Oceania with mixed spread at national borders or in communities.
While most of us had a safe Christmas season, we are still in the middle of an ongoing global pandemic. As predicted, after more than two years, it is now entering our previously COVID-free Pacific Island countries and territories in Oceania with mixed spread at national borders or in communities. Historically, this is the same pattern of spread during the Spanish flu pandemic from 1918 to 1919; the Pacific Islands were affected last and cleared last - the last cases reported in 1921, well after two years of the pandemic ending on major continents.
We have the hindsight of history, education, media, and information access coupled with the benefits of scientific research and evolving vaccinations which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) contributed significantly to the World Health Organisation (WHO) prior to Tokyo 2020. We also have access to far more equitable health and medical facilities than our ancestors did - let us harness our advantages.
Let us not lose sight of the fact that health and medicine have been part of the Olympic Games since the ancient editions and carried on in the modern Olympics. By virtue of this, the Medical Commission is the oldest commission in the Olympic Movement. Science has been part of life, good health and physical fitness throughout Olympic history.
I encourage everyone to get vaccinated and take booster shots as and when they become available in our countries. I also encourage everyone to follow masking, sanitisation and social distancing measures in our countries and during domestic and international travel.
This will ensure the continuity of sport in a safe way and strengthens our collective effort to promote and drive sport and physical activity as core parts of pandemic recovery programmes. We can only lead this message if we ourselves demonstrate responsibility and care in our own communities.
Having passed January, we have all made it to the halfway point of the annual cyclone season which began in November last year. We have remained relatively unscathed but have another three months to go. Let’s all keep safe and take necessary precautions as an Olympic family in Oceania.
We are already experiencing the increasing frequency and strength of cyclones outlined by climate change experts for years. I encourage us all to take heed of warnings, follow weather reports, and support national disaster response agencies’ guidelines during the annual six-month period of cyclones.
I take this time to extend wishes of strength and fortitude to the TASANOC leadership in Tonga for enduring a volcanic eruption, tsunami and the widespread coverage of ash on homes, communities, and on food crops and vegetation which will have far-reaching impacts in the months and years ahead.
The afternoon and night of Saturday, 15 January will be in our collective Oceania and Pacific memory for a long time. The Hunga Tonga-Hung Ha’apai volcanic eruption was heard and felt in many Pacific islands, including here in Fiji. The eruption caused tsunamis that devastated communities in Tonga and reached Fiji, American Samoa, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Japan, the United States, the Russian Far East, Chile and Peru. The eruption and subsequent tsunami broke undersea cables in two places and cut off Tonga from the rest of the world. Their period of darkness, first from the volcanic cloud and ash fall, then from destroyed communications infrastructure, is ours as well. It was a nervous period of uncertainty until we received communication.
I extend a huge thank you to Takitoa Taumoepeau for his letter dated 24 January where he provided a brief update assuring us of the safety of TASANOC staff and families. However, the extent of damage will be determined and shared later and internet is not expected to be up for several weeks. The Olympic family stands prepared to support TASANOC once assessment reports come in.
A huge acknowledgement also to our very own athlete, Pita Taufatofua of Tonga currently based in Australia - in a remarkable demonstration of solidarity and care for his country and its people, Pita has used his online social media following and the power of online fundraising to raise funds for the Tonga Tsunami Appeal. Pita is an example of athletes using their voices and platforms for good. Malo, Pita! With a goal of raising AUD1 million, Pita has raised almost AUD800,000 as of yesterday.
I extend encouragement to TASANOC Patron, His Majesty King Tupou VI as he leads both TASANOC and his people in national recovery; President Michael Bloomfield and Secretary-General Takitoa Taumoepeau as they literally rise from the ashes with our support. We look forward to working with you in your recovery.
Last year would not have been possible without the support and goodwill of all our member National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and partners. Thank you for your preparation of athletes, entourages, and for what has been a remarkable performance from Oceania.
Huge congratulations to our athletes - our Warriors of Oceania for an outstanding outing at Tokyo 2020. Your strength and commitment to your goals and your support of each other stands as a guide to others who will follow the Olympic path in future.
I am also very proud of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (TOCOG) for delivering successfully in a global pandemic. In particular, acknowledgement for Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission, John Coates AC for his continued exemplary leadership which is valuable for Australia and Oceania.
And let’s not forget, the brilliance of Brisbane, Queensland and Australia in winning the bid to host the BRISBANE 2032 Olympic Games. We can all stand proud of this win and be ready to build friendship and cooperation over the next decade to truly make it the Olympic Games for Oceania - ours collectively!
I’m also happy to announce that while you may have received the reports of the 2021 ONOC Annual General Assembly, the communique is also now available on our website. Please use this to share out outcomes and deliberations with your members and partners. The link can be found here.
I encourage all member NOCs and partners to keep the following key events and highlights for this year.
We are happy to see American Samoa (ASA), Australia (AUS) and New Zealand (NZL) making representation at the upcoming BEIJING 2022 Winter Games. I congratulate all athletes from Australia and New Zealand for their preparation efforts and wish them well in China.
I also congratulate the sole athlete from American Samoa, Nathan Crumpton, for qualifying in the skeleton event and more so, for setting a historic record being the first American Samoan athlete representing his country at both the Summer and Winter Games. Only a few months ago, Nathan represented American Samoa in the 100M Men’s Sprint in TOKYO 2020. Nathan is also filling a huge gap in being the third American Samoan athlete to represent the country at the Winter Olympics exactly 28 years since the first two, Faauuga Muagututia and Brad Kiltz participated in the 2-Men Bobsled in LILLEHAMMER 1994.
I also commend Nathan Crumpton and the American Samoa National Olympic Committee (ASNOC) for this milestone because he is an Olympic Scholarship holder and has benefited from the Olympic Solidarity Programme.
This quadrennial is extremely busy in terms of Games and I wish all athletes, their support groups and all NOCs well in preparation toward SAIPAN 2022 Pacific Mini Games, BIRMINGHAM 2022 Commonwealth Games; HANGZHOU 2022 Asian Games; SOL2023 Pacific Games and the BANGKOK & CHONBURI 2023 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
I also encourage us all to keep track of key events and activities of the ONOC Commissions this year as there is an exciting year of activities ahead of us in the next eleven months.
As highlighted at the 2021 Annual General Assembly, we had postponed the ONOC 40th anniversary celebration to this year. A few activities requiring your input and collaboration will follow in the coming weeks toward the activation of our ONOC40 microsite, a progressing repository of stories and highlights from the last 40 years; and the collation and launch of an anniversary book. There will also be a Reflection Series beginning in March and ending in December this year as part of our campaign.
I encourage all NOCs, partners, former and current athletes, and friends to join us on this online celebration punctuated with the launch of the anniversary book.
Our stories will not be captured or told unless we make the effort to do so ourselves and this yearlong celebration offers us the opportunity to build a legacy for posterity. Join us!
Again, good health to everyone and a wonderful year ahead!
-
Dr Robin Mitchell
President
