The Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) is pleased to announce the justification process by the Justification Committee (JC) which started in the 4th Quarter of 2020, to identify sports and endorse athletes and officials for the 11th Pacific Mini Games has been completed.
Whilst the Pacific Mini Games will be hosting nine sports – Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Beach Volleyball, Golf, Tennis, Triathlon, Va’a and Weightlifting, PNG will only participate in five.
The five (5) sports endorsed by the JC are Athletics, Golf, Tennis, Va’a and Weightlifting. Beach Volleyball and Triathlon were not endorsed and will miss out due to non-compliance with the Justification Committee’s requirements. Baseball and Badminton National Federation opted not to participate in the Pacific Mini Games due to their team’s readiness. A total of 92 Athletes and Team Officials will be part of Team PNG attending this year’s Games scheduled to be held from the 17th to 25th June 2022.
The JC is the committee under the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC), which screens and endorses sports and their athletes and officials to take part as Team PNG in the Olympic, Commonwealth and Pacific Games.
The team is scheduled to depart for Saipan on 12th June 2022 and PNGOC is working round the clock to secure funds to meet the budget for Team PNG for both the Pacific Mini Games and the Commonwealth Games which follow soon after in July.
President, Sir John Dawanincura said, “PNGOC is hopeful that the Government will step in to assist Team PNG to meet its budget shortfall”.