ONOC believes Agenda 2020 will help future Games organisers

Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) President Dr Robin Mitchell believes the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Agenda 2020 will greatly assist organisers of future regional games.

Dr Mitchell, an IOC member himself says the recently approved Agenda 2020 has been adopted by 2020 Olympic Games hosts Japan.  

“I was recently in Tokyo for the Coordination Committee meeting and Tokyo has very quickly taken on board the recommendations of the IOC which resulted in them saving 1.3 billion dollars already in venue preparation.”

He spoke at the recent Pacific Games Council General Assembly in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea whereby he advised organising committees of the 2017 Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu, 2019 Pacific Games in Tonga and the 2021 Pacific Mini Games to work closely with International Federations.

The assembly heard of problems faced at the recent Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea between the Games Organising Committee and International Federations regarding technical matters. 

“I think the important message is to send out is the involvement of the International Federations (IF) from the beginning of your preparations for the games rather than them coming in just to sign off.

“IFs usually have experts that come to you free, there’s also regional IF people who will deal with the same so for Vanuatu, Tonga and Northern Marianas perhaps you might want to go back to the old system of involving the Ifs very early in your planning,” said Dr Mitchell.

Meanwhile, ONOC is making arrangements for a visit to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan by officials of the 17 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the seven Associate Members in September.

ONOC signed a Memorandum of Undetstanding (MOU) with the Olympic Committee of Asia (OCA) and hosts of the 2017 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games- Turkmenistan last November for the involvement of Oceania countries.

The trip to Turkmenistan in a months time coincides with Ashgabat hosting the OCA General Assembly.

ONOC Secretary General Ricardo Blas is finalising details for Oceania delegates trip to Turkmenistan in September.