Today marks a pivotal milestone: exactly seven years from the Opening Ceremony of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For the Pacific Islands, this is more than a Games—it is our moment to shape a decade of transformation.

It calls for decisive, urgent, and unified action.

Declared by the Australian and Queensland Governments, the IOC, and the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee as the “Games for Oceania,” Brisbane 2032 offers an unprecedented opportunity for our island nations to move beyond symbolic participation and into strategic leadership.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to drive outcomes that uplift sport, transform societies and strengthen the economies of Oceania.

A Pacific-Wide Strategic Imperative

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“Since the launch of ONOC’s Home Games Advantage (HGA) initiative in 2022, we have supported Pacific Island nations with strategic briefings, technical guidance and roadmap tools to prepare for Brisbane 2032. But as of today, over 30% of the available runway has already elapsed. Time is no longer a luxury. The clock is ticking.” ONOC President Baklai Temengil stated.

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Research confirms it takes an average of seven years to develop a podium-class Olympic athlete. For many of our nations, that development must begin now—or not at all.

The pathway to Brisbane 2032 is not simply about athlete qualification—it is a lever for national transformation. To realise this potential, each Pacific Island country must:

• Establish a National Taskforce to lead the development and implementation of a 7-Year Olympic Strategy, aligned with ONOC’s Home Games Advantage (HGA) and Oceania Legacy Framework. The Taskforce should be chaired at a senior level and include representation from key government ministries, Olympic and Paralympic Committees, sports federations, the private sector, development partners, and academic institutions.
• Secure high-level political commitment and whole-of-government coordination to empower the Taskforce and integrate sport into national development priorities.
• Strengthen National Sports Federations through improved governance, sustainable resourcing, and alignment with international performance pathways.
• Invest in human capital, including coaches, officials, administrators, and volunteers.
• Establish national hubs for sports science, physiotherapy, nutrition and mental wellness to support athlete performance.
• Mobilise corporate and development partners behind co-investment models.

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What Is at Stake: A Pacific Legacy Beyond Sport

Brisbane 2032 can catalyse a decade of bold outcomes for the Pacific. Among them:

• Performance Excellence & Athlete Representation: Increased qualification on merit and realistic medal prospects across multiple sports.
• Human Capital Growth: A new generation of Pacific leaders embedded in sport science, health, education and Games delivery.
• Inclusive Development: Gender equality, youth engagement and disability inclusion embedded into sport systems.
• Economic Impact: Expanded access to trade, investment, tourism and workforce development opportunities.
• Cultural Visibility: The Pacific showcased to a global audience through people-to-people connection, media and our sporting people.
• Diplomatic Influence: Elevating Pacific voices in regional and global fora through structured collaboration and Games-linked diplomacy.

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A Message of Urgency from ONOC President Baklai Temengil

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“The final seven-year Olympic cycle begins today. The window for planning is closing. The era of implementation must begin immediately.

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We must stop waiting to be included and start moving to co-create.

The world is watching. Australia is listening. And the Games are coming to our doorstep.

Each Pacific nation has a choice to make in 2025: Either rise with urgency—or risk being left behind.”

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Auvita Rapilla Echoes the Call: “This Is Our Olympic Moment”

Speaking at the Sporting Traditions Conference on the Gold Coast today, Auvita Rapilla, IOC Member Pacific Sports leader and Member of the Brisbane 2032 Coordination Commission, reinforced the regional imperative:

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“Brisbane 2032 is not a promise—it is an invitation. An invitation for the Pacific to step forward—not merely as participants, but as co-designers of the world’s most inclusive and impactful Games.

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We’ve done it before. We can do it again—but this time, with intention, structure and scale.

The Pacific has the talent and a proven track record. What we need now is action and implementation.

With Brisbane 2032 framed by the IOC as the ‘Games for the whole Pacific’, we must now shift gears—from passive participation to urgent and proactive preparation. This moment has the power to transform not just sport, but the social fabric and identity of our nations for generations to come.

We owe it to our athletes. We owe it to our youth. We owe it to our future generations. And we owe it to the nations we are capable of becoming.”

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Next Steps

ONOC will continue to work with the Oceania Paralympic Committee (OPC), OSFO, Pacific Games Council (PGC), Commonwealth Sport, Oceania Australia Foundation, National Olympic Committees (NOCs), governments and regional stakeholders to activate Home Games Advantage strategies, strengthen National Sports Federations and establish local performance support structures, mobilise resources and ensure every Pacific Island nation has a place not just at the Brisbane 2032 Games—but within its legacy.

The countdown has begun. The work starts now.

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Project Contact:
Atma Maharaj
atmamaharaj@bigpond.com