Twenty athlete representatives from six National Olympic Committee (NOC) Athletes’ Commissions (ACs) have gathered in Guam for a pilot sub-regional athletes’ forum in the Oceania continent.
The Micronesian Sub-Regional Athletes’ Forum programme includes sessions on athlete opportunities, roles and responsibilities of ACs, Olympic Solidarity, creating AC calendars and action plans, managing athlete brands, and programmes available through Athlete365.
Sled Dowabobo, Chairperson of the Nauru Athletes’ Commission, said, "I am happy to be here, and so far I am learning a lot."
Dowabobo said that the Forum has been a platform for good information sharing and added, "most of all, it is about helping an inactive Athletes’ Commission like ours."
Athlete representatives discussed a number of issues faced by their countries in breakout discussions and activities.
Common issues that resonate across the six countries include climate change, gender equality, and substance abuse.
Mia-Lahnee Aquino, Chairperson of the Guam National Athletes’ Commission (GNAC), shared that "even though Guam does not really experience climate change that much, I see from my neighboring islands, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Palau, Nauru, and the FSM, what they are going through, and it really woke me up to try to be better about doing my part in mitigating climate change."
Anthony Rudimch, Vice President (VP) of the Palau Olympians & Athletes Commission (POAC), shared his experience with females in male-dominated sports after attending a programme addressing women in sports.
"I was one of only two males in attendance during that training and I was privy to a whole lot of issues that females face in sports," Rudimch said.
By the end of the Forum, Micronesian athlete representatives will have achieved the following outcomes:
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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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Sitiveni Tawakevou
Forum Lead and Chief Information Technology Officer
Email: sitiveni@oceanianoc.org
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.
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For more information, please contact;
Sitiveni Tawakevou
Chief Communications Officer (Acting)
sitiveni@oceanianoc.org
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