Athletes discuss partnerships and opportunities at the Melanesian Sub-Regional Forum

April 28, 2023
ONOC
Athlete representatives during a group activity on Day Two of the Melanesian Sub-Regional Athletes’ Forum at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, Fiji. I Photo: ONOC Comms

Athletes’ Commission (AC) representatives from the Melanesian sub-region discussed partnerships and funding opportunities on Day Two of the Melanesian Sub-Regional Forum.

ONOC Secretary General Ricardo Blas urged athlete representatives to take advantage of all funding opportunities available to them through the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Olympic Solidarity Programme.

"There is only one NOC (National Olympic Committee) out of the 15 NOCs that has capitalised on utilising Olympic Solidarity’s Continental Programmes as well as the World Programmes."

SG Blas said that while opportunities are available annually, there is a "use it or lose it" policy for the opportunities should they not be utilised within a year.

PNG Athletes’ Commission Deputy Chairperson, Lua Rikis and Tuvalu Athletes’ Commission Chairperson, Ioane Hawaii, during a break-out session on Day Two of the Melanesian Sub-Regional Athletes’ Forum at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi, Fiji. I Photo: ONOC Comms

"I urge you to fully utilise the different funding opportunities available for Athletes’ Commissions, as this is an area we lack in our region," SG Blas added.

The second day of the forum looked at the funding opportunities available for Athletes’ Commissions, working on a calendar of activities for 2023-2024, setting budgets for Athletes’ Commission activities, applying for grants offered by the Olympic Solidarity Programme, building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders and partners, and building AC communication plans objectively for visibility purposes.

The forum concludes today with the representatives from each Athletes’ Commission presenting their country’s activity plans for 2023–2024, action plans, and proposed budgets.

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For more information, please visit the following links:

For the Oceania National Olympic Committees  
For the ONOC Athletes’ Commission  
For the ONOC Athletes’ Commission Microsite  
For the IOC Athletes’ Commission  
For the Athlete365 hub of resources for all athletes

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For Event Enquiries

Sitiveni Tawakevou

Forum Lead and Chief Information Technology Officer
Email: sitiveni@oceanianoc.org  

For Media Enquiries

Shivneel Narayan

Digital Communications Officer
Email: shivneel@oceanianoc.org

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About ONOC 
Established in 1981, the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) is one of five Continental Associations. It looks after the interests of 17 member nations in the Oceania Region, including Australia and New Zealand as well as seven associate members. 

ONOC has an office in Guam where Secretary General Mr. Ricardo Blas is based and the Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, where the Office of the President Dr Robin Mitchell is located.

All services and-programmes are based on the ONOC Strategic Plan for 2018-2021, and its 4 Core Functions of (1) Building and Strengthening NOCs Capacity (2) Cultivating Strategic Partnerships (3) Contributing towards Sporting Excellence and (4) Leading by Example.

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For more information, please contact;

Shivneel Narayan
Chief Communications Officer (Acting)
shivneel@oceanianoc.org

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