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(L-R) Ajah Pritchard-Lolo (VAN), Stivano Banga (VAN) and Mele Likiliki (TGA) were part of the athletes at the 5th Oceania Athletes' Forum in Fiji. | Photo: ONOC
Athletes representatives from the National Olympic Committees of Oceania discussed the importance of athlete rights and responsibilities, safeguarding, sport integrity, and advancing human rights in sport at the 5th Oceania Athletes’ Forum.
Hinged on the theme of ‘building bridges, breaking barriers’, athletes returned to their 2019 commitment to work with their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to adopt the IOC Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration which was developed by athletes for athletes.
Adopted at the 133rd IOC Session in Buenos Aires in 2018, the Declaration addresses the rights to non-discrimination, clean sport, access to information, access to sports related education, opportunities to income generation in relation to sporting careers, fair and equal gender representation, protection of mental and physical health, privacy, protection of personal information, freedom of expression and access to due process in sports related issues.
The Declaration also covers athletes’ responsibilities from the responsibility of upholding Olympic values to that of respecting the integrity of sport, being clean athletes, complying with national laws, informing themselves, participating in athletes representatives’ elections to being non-discriminatory and being a role model by promoting clean sport.
The athletes of Oceania also undertook awareness and information session on Safe Sport which protects athletes from harassment and abuse. The critical elements were on how to identify harassment and abuse, and how to report it – also knowing the important role they as athletes play in using, creating, and advocating for such protected spaces, systems, and processes.
Manami shares from her experience at the 5th Oceania Athletes' Forum. She also shares on her transition as an athlete from Swimming to Triathlon and talks about opportunities she has learned about at the Forum.
A session on Sport Integrity was also offered to athletes where they learned to unpack specific threats to sport in Oceania. These included critical issues such as poor governance in sporting organisations, absence of safeguards for vulnerable groups, absence of legislation and policies, abuse and mistreatment of athletes, competition manipulation, match-fixing, doping, and the absence of protection of the rights, safety and security of athletes, spectators, and workers.
Please follow this link to find out more about Sport Integrity through its comprehensive definition and athlete and sporting organisations’ stories on how issues of integrity have impacted them and their careers in sport.
In addition to these themes, the ONOC BRISBANE 2032 10-Year Roadmap for athlete and entourage development toward improving Pacific Islands performance in sport provided an inspiring and robust presentation of opportunity in both sport, education, and sport scholarships that would pave the road to Brisbane – our Home Games Advantage.
See the ONOC BRISBANE 2032 Programme Announcement here.
Athlete representatives of their NOC Athletes’ Commissions committed to exploring their role in engaging meaningfully in the Roadmap with strategic contributions to talent identification, promotion of scholarships, school visits, competition exposure, and awareness raising in their countries.
Max shares his experience at the 5th Oceania Athletes' Forum. This is the young rower's first time at an Athletes' Forum in Oceania and is one set to contribute a lot over the next few years.
The Pacific Games Council covered their role covering sport to create bonds of friendship and brotherhood through sporting exchanges and competition in the Pacific region, organise games (both the Pacific Mini Games and the Pacific Games), athlete programmes, athlete representative role, and on the Pacific Games Pathway.
The Pathway covers adding value and providing qualification opportunities in the lead to PARIS 2024; International Federations (IF) eligibility in archery, athletics, basketball, football, netball, sevens rugby, rugby league 9s, swimming, weightlifting, and boxing.
It is treated as the Continental Games for Oceania toward the Olympic Games and also provides points and rankings for international competition.
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For more on the Oceania National Olympic Committees
For more on the IOC Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration
For more on Safe Sport on Athlete365
For more on Sport Integrity on Athlete365
For more on the ONOC BRISBANE 2032 Programme
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