PNG Olympians join world with new body
The Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) is joining the rest of the world in establishing an association for athletes who have participated at the highest level of sport, the Olympics.
Known as the PNG Olympian Association (PNGOA), the group recognises the achievement of these athletes who have become part of a global family of the Olympic movement.
Interim president of the PNG Olympian Association, Iammo Launa said PNGOA’s main aim is to educate people and promote Olympic ideals and strengthening the Olympic movement.
“It intends to mobilise PNG based Olympians to reach out to communities by spreading the Olympic movement ideals, values and philosophies to encourage the young generation to become elite sports persons and productive citizens,” she said.
The group was first initiated in 2017 and is being headed by an interim committee to oversee it to full establishment.
Launa and her fellow Olympians, Trevan Clough, Graham Numa and Xenia Peni are heading the process of its establishment with support from the PNGOC.
The interim committee was appointed by the PNG Olympians in its first meeting to assist with creation of the organisation.
It is an independent organisation representing Olympians, is governed by its own constitution and is a member of the World Olympian Association (WOA).
The establishment of the PNGOA is essential to achieve the national Olympic committee’s desired outcomes by involving PNG Olympians in planned Olympic activities in the country where they can serve as models who embody the Olympic Ideals.
Secretary general of the PNG Olympic Committee and International Olympic Committee Member, Auvita Rapilla said being an Olympian is a special achievement and congratulated Launa and her executives for their work so far.
She encouraged the Olympians to embrace their international identity as Olympians and use it to drive the positive and inspirational messages of Olympism to inspire others to do great things in their communities.
Papua New Guinea has so far has 81 Olympians in the country and PNGOA aims to involve them in all planned programs and activities across the country.
Launa said the association encourages all the Olympians to participate and use their status and experience to promote and develop the ideals of Olympism throughout PNG.
PNGOA working in partnership with the PNGOC, PNG Athletes commission, national sporting federations and other stakeholders to promote olympism in the country.
“I am appealing to all the olympians to unite and work together and strengthen this association.
“WOA supports National Olympian Associations such as ours with projects so let’s make use of these opportunities to develop our people and our country through sports,” Launa said.
PNGOA has been invited to attend its first World Olympian Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland which Launa will be attending as president and also as an olympian.
She thanked Rapilla and her team at the PNGOC and Sir Kostas Constantinou of Lamana Holdings for their support as she prepares for her trip to the WOA Forum.
WOA is an association of Olympic athletes (Olympians) from all over the world, to promote the dissemination of Olympic ideals and fair play, advance environmental protection, educate against doping and drug use, supply educational resources, work against violence and intolerance, support diversity and equality, contribute to sport-related charities, host special hospitality centres, involve olympians in social support, display positive role models, advance sport management and promote a culture of which sport is an important part.
An olympian is any athlete who has been accredited to participate at a summer or winter olympic games. Olympians are WOA members through their local National Olympians Associations. Globally, there are over 100,000 Olympians and 148 countries with a National Olympian Association.
Former IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch created the World Olympians Association following the Centennial Olympic Congress, Congress of Unity, held in Paris in 1994.
Launa is a former champion PNG athlete who has represented her country at various international events on several occasions.
She was one of the three first female Olympians from the Pacific in 1984. The other two are her athletics team mates, Barbara Sapea and Elanga Bula.
Launa has also participated in the Commonwealth Games, World Games, Oceania Games. Pacific and Pacific Mini Games, representing in three different sports, Athletics, netball and volleyball.
Following her retirement, she went into sports administration with one of her roles being the Chief Executive Officer of the PNG Sports Foundation.
Other PNG Olympians include; Athletics: Takale Tuna, Lapule Tamean, Tau John Tokwepeto, Elanga Buala (F), Barbara Sapea (F), Poloni Avek (F), John Hou, John D’sigura, Mowen Boino, Toea Wisil (F), Theo Piniau, Nelson Stone, Sailing: Graham Numa, Swimming: Ryan Pini, Xenia Peni (F), Judith Meauri (F), Shooting: Joe Chan, Judo: Raymond Ovinou, Taekwondo: Maximillion Kassman, Samantha Kassman (F) and many others.
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