ONOC’s Pacific roadmap to BRISBANE 2032 based on partnerships

July 24, 2022
BRISBANE 2032
Dika Toua, veteran Olympian who has represented Papua New Guinea in five Olympic Games and participated at the SAIPAN 2022 Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games and won three gold medals in Women’s Weightlifting is a classic example of island athletes who rise on sheer grit and perseverance. ONOC’s BRISBANE 2032 programme will identify and build similar athletes in its ten-year strategy. | Photo: ONOC

The Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) values partnerships in its delivery of programmes and activities throughout the Oceania sporting region.

ONOC President Robin Mitchell emphasised this at the official announcement of the ONOC 10-Year Roadmap to BRISBANE 2032 titled, ‘Creating a Home Games Advantage 2022 – 2032’ a strategy to improve the performance of the Pacific Islands at the Olympic Games.

President Mitchell acknowledged partners ONOC is working with to date. These include the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), the Oceania Paralympic Committee (OPC), Paralympics Australia, Organisation of Sports Federations of Oceania (OSFO), Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF Oceania), Commonwealth Games Australia, Pacific Games Council (PGC), Oceania Australia Foundation, National Sports Federations (NSFs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs).  

Partners contributed to the official announcement by providing their own statements of support.

John Coates AM, Honorary Life President

AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

John Coates AM, Honorary Life President of the Australian Olympic Committee and Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee. | Photo: ANOC Media

‘The 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane will be the together games. And that means that they will also be the Games for not only Australia, but the Games for all of Oceania. We in the Australian Olympic Committee and the Brisbane Organising Committee are already planning for the performance of our athletes in the Games.  

‘We also think it's important that we help our friends from Oceania prepare their athletes. And it's important that we start this process now. All the high performance and other planning that needs to go into this has to start now if we're to achieve results that haven't been seen before

‘I'm a Vice President now of the BRISBANE 2032 Games and I can assure you that we are as committed as our friends from Oceania, in achieving success for our friends, all of the athletes from Oceania thank you and look forward to working with you.’

Paul Bird, President

OCEANIA PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE

Paul Bird, President of the Oceania Paralympic Committee (OPC) | Photo: @pacificausaports

‘The Oceania Paralympic Committee is excited to be a partner with ONOC in the Home Games Advantage Initiative that sets a clear and achievable pathway through to Brisbane 2032 and beyond for Parasport and inclusion within the Oceania Region. 

‘This is a defining moment for ParaSport.  

‘The ONOC Strategy creates a once in a generation opportunity to become a united, competitive and Inclusive Region and already is creating momentum within our Para sporting communities across the Pacific.  

‘We look forward with expectation and anticipation of the positive outcomes for all current and futures athletes within our Region.’

Kevan Gosper, President

ORGANISATION OF SPORTS FEDERATIONS OF OCEANIA

Kevan Gosper, President of the Organisation of Sports Federations of Oceania (OSFO) | Photo: IOC Media

‘Being associated with the development of the Brisbane 2032 Initiative, I am very pleased to extend my personal support and that of OSFO and the Foundation to help in bringing this Initiative to life. It is very encouraging and valuable that ONOC is looking 10 years ahead, to develop the competitive edge of the athletes of the Pacific Islands.  

‘These 10-years will pass very quickly. With the current focus on the Birmingham Commonwealth Games which begins next Friday 28th July, preparations will then shift to the all-important Pacific Games which will be held in Honiara in November 2023. Paris 2024 is just around the corner with qualification events already underway. The 2023 Pacific Games will serve as a Qualification event in a number of sports to Paris 2024.

‘As President of OSFO, the Organisation of Sports Federations of Oceania, we are excited to be part of such an innovative project. Our Regional Sports Federations will have a great canvas on which to develop the capacity and capability of our athletes, coaches, and technical officials.

‘As Chair of Oceania Australia Foundation, I am pleased to highlight that the Foundation has awarded 50 scholarships, 24 of these been female recipients, since the program commenced in 2011. A total of 8 NOCs have benefitted from this program, with the recipients of these scholarships coming from Fiji, PNG, FSM, Guam, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, and Solomon Islands.

‘As we move forward, we are looking to upscaling the Foundation, to increase the opportunities for our student athletes as we build towards this Brisbane 2032 Games.

This ONOC Initiative with the Sports Stakeholders of the Pacific is a very worthwhile and commendable venture. I encourage the support of your Governments and Sports Organisations on this journey.

Vidhya Lakhan, President

PACIFIC GAMES COUNCIL

Vidhya Lakhan, President of the Pacific Games Council (PGC) | Photo: Fiji Sun

‘The 2031 Pacific Games will be a vital focal point for the Pacific’s Brisbane 2032 aspirations.  

‘The Pacific Games Council has been working with ONOC since 2014 on achieving international recognition of the Pacific Games as the continental Games for Oceania.   

‘Much progress has been made since 2015 when the integration of Australian and New Zealand athletes into Pacific Games competitions commenced.  Many International Federations now use the Pacific Games as Olympic qualifying events.   

‘It is the Pacific Games Council’s ambition that the 2031 edition of the Pacific Games will serve as a Brisbane 2032 qualification event for all of the Olympic sports on the program.’

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For more information on ONOC and partners:

Oceania National Olympic Committees
BRISBANE 2032 Summer Games

Australian Olympic Committee

Oceania Paralympic Committee

Paralympics Australia

Organisation of Sports Federations of Oceania

Commonwealth Games Federation

Commonwealth Games Australia

Pacific Games Council
Oceania Australia Foundation

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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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