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Sports groups urged to join Oceania federations
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Posted on Apr 22 2009
Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association president Michael A. White has urged various sports federations in the CNMI to seek membership to the Olympic Sports Federation of Oceania.
White attended the 5th OSFO Assembly held in Queensland, New Zealand early this month and was told by OSFO officials of the group’s invitation to CNMI sports associations and others in the region.
OSFO was officially established in Brisbane, Australia in 2005 to promote a cooperative approach to the development of sport in the Oceania region. It exists to represent the interests of members to ONOC, the IOC, governments, and other organizations that may impact on the delivery of services for the member international federations.
White specifically urged badminton, triathlon, and beach volleyball federations in the Commonwealth to seek membership to OSFO through their respective sports federations in Oceania.
Twenty-three other disciplines have organizations listed as regular members of OSFO. They are athletics, archery, Australia football, basketball, baseball, beach volleyball, cricket, football, fencing, hockey, judo, netball, rugby, rugby league, sailing, shooting, softball, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, vaa, tough, and volleyball.
Besides opening its membership to interested associations in Oceania, OSFO through the help of Oceania National Olympic Committee, also held a workshop.
The workshop focused on three topics. Tai Nicholas of Oceania Football discussed the purpose and future direction of Pacific Games, while Col Clapper of Oceania Squash talked about issues with PG Charter, PG sports MOU, funding and sponsorship of PG. Yvonne Mullins of Oceania Athletics Association was the third resource speaker at the workshop and discussed unique problems with team sports/medal count, while FIBA Oceania secretary general and OSFO chairman Steve Smith focused on cluster sports approach towards development of multi-sport school/community programs.
For more information on OSFO contact Smith at obcbask@tpg.com.au or OSFO secretary general Chet Gray at chet.gray@softball.org.au or for assistance in seeking membership, contact White at mwhite@saipan.com.
