athletes

The rules, which start on 1 November 2018, would apply to women who race in track events from 400m up to the mile.

The IAAF believes the new measures will stop women with high testosterone levels gaining a competitive advantage.

Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya is expected to be among those affected.

The South African runner has previously been asked to undertake gender testing by athletics chiefs but no results have ever officially been made public.

FIFA coach and member of the FIFA technical study group, Vera Pauw, said coaches must give athletes the confidence to be themselves and say what they think in a positive way.

Pauw explained that when athletes are exposed in the media, the publicity gives them confidence and develops them not only in their sporting career but education and professional careers as well. 

She said the coach must lead by example by being open to the media and contribute positively on behalf of the team.

“Coaches must always be positive as they need the media and the media needs them.

The three days training is aimed to encourage athletes to be leaders so they can represent themselves well on the SOPNG Board.

SOPNG also aims to establish an athlete council so this training is vital to prepare the participants for that.

SOPNG has invited an expert from Special Olympics Australia to train the athletes and their mentors.

SOPNG president Takale Tuna said they are pushing for the athletes to be leaders.

PNGOC is taking the lead in promoting excellence for life after sport for the country’s elite sports men and women.

It has established a program to cater for this through its long term partnership with the Institute of Business Studies (IBS).

It is through this partnership that the Athlete Excellence Programme (AEP) was established for elite athletes.

The programme aims to offer elite PNG athletes the opportunity to obtain educational qualifications through the IBS Diploma and Certificate courses.

Around 2,000 youngsters and teachers featured in the Ceremony, which aimed to reflect the mantra of the Commonwealth Youth Games, such as inspiration and empowerment of young people.

Following a rendition of the Samoan national anthem played by the Police band and a hymn from the Games Choir, the Opening Ceremony began with the Athletes Parade as competitors from the Isle of Man, which hosted the event in 2011, led the 63 nations taking part in the spectacle around the track.

The Commonwealth Games Federation rejected a proposal by Ghana to issue sanctions against Samoa, for denying Sierra Leone entry, at this weeks General Assembly in Auckland.

Tuila'epa says it's the responsibility of his government to put safety first for the up to 2,000 athletes participating in the fifth Commonwealth Youth games.

He says he supports the decision because his country was the worst affected by the Spanish flu, which had killed 25 percent of Samoa's population back in 1918.

Team Cook Islands, to be headed by Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) sports manager Siniva Marsters, will be taking part in aquatics (swimming), athletics, lawn bowls and rugby sevens.

Marsters has become the second female after Rosie Blake to lead Team Cook Islands to an international event.

The athletes, aged 14 to 18 years, will be gunning for their personal bests in the week-long games in Apia.