Tuvalu Association of Sports (TAS) is on its way to becoming a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
By Silafaga Lalua
Tuvalu Association of Sports (TAS) on its way to be a member of the Internationa Olympic Committee.
During the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) executive meeting in Melbourne, Australia on the 30 - 31st of May 2007, TAS’s IOC application was endorsed.
Reports from TAS office stated that the application is now ready for the IOC executive committee meeting in Guatemala next month.
At this Guatemala meeting, the IOC executive committee will look at TAS’s application and if they are happy with it and endorse it, TAS will become a member of IOC, and hence will be represented at the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008.
Reports say that a representative from ONOC base office in Suva, Fiji, General Secretary Dr. Robin Mitchell was supposed to have arrived in Tuvalu today to see activities in each sports club, and most importantly to see how much Tuvaluans like to play sports. This will help support the Association’s application that he will take with him to the IOC meeting in Guatemala.
He has cancelled the trip due to the funeral of the FASANOC official who passed away over the weekened. On Saturday during Team Fiji Assembly, Dr. Mitchell's predecessor Mrs Sophia Raddock, former President of FASANOC and Life Member collapsed during the proceedings, and died later on the same day.
Meanwhile TAS is now gearing up for the Pacific Games (PG) in Samoa in two months’ time, from August 26th to 5th September, 2007.
A fitness test sub-committee selected by TAS is currently carrying out beep tests of each club. This will determine which club has been training and deserve to be represented at the PG, taking into account their skills and fitness.
Tuvalu news understands that the boxing club will be tested this weekend.
By the first of July, TAS committee will have identified the clubs and athletes that are going to the Games, subject to the availability of funds.
As of the of Sunday 27th May 2007, 120 athletes and officials were registered for the Games, but as General Secretary of TAS, Nakibae Kitiseni says, this number will be decreased by the 1st of July.
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