PNG Olympic Committee: ‘Team PNG will compete in only 20 sports’

Out of the 26 sports that will be played in the 2023 Pacific Games, Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee, through its Justification Committee, has approved only 20 sports that Team PNG contingent will be competing, involving a team of 520 people, including athletes, officials, management, and medical staff. The games are scheduled to start from November 19th to December 2nd.

At first, Rugby 9s, Sailing and Judo were excluded for failing to meet the required benchmark and justification deadlines and criteria. Then recently, Karate was also excluded, bringing the initial total of 24 to 20. The decision on Karate and Rugby 9s were being appealed by the sports to the PNG Sports Dispute Tribunal.

According to PNG OC, Sports endorsed as part of Team PNG to participate at the Pacific Games include: Athletics, Basketball (5x5 and 3x3), Beach Volleyball, Bodybuilding, Boxing, Golf, Hockey, Indoor Volleyball, Football, Netball, Powerlifting, Rugby 7s, Rugby Touch, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Va’a and Weightlifting.

The PNGOC, through its fundraising events and sponsorship program, is making every effort to fundraise and secure funds, including Government grants to meet Team PNG’s participation budget of K5.3 million based on a Team size of 520 people.

The cost per participant to the 2023 Pacific Games stands at approximately K10,000 covering airfares, uniforms, per diems, insurance, and medicals. National Federations have been levied K2,000 per athlete and official based on their team size, while PNGOC handles the remaining K8,000.

All National Federations were given one year notice on the levy fee in November 2022, in order to plan and fundraise on behalf of their athletes and officials.

In collaboration with the Minister for Sports and PNG Sports Foundation, the PNGOC aims to secure the Government grant to meet its participation budget and reduce the levy burden on National Federations.

Team PNG’s preparation is supported by Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) through its contribution of K2 Million, where K 1 Million was received in 2021 and another K1 Million in 2023. The PNGOC extends its gratitude to KCH for its contribution and hopes to secure additional funding to support the final preparations of 32 squads (men, women and mixed teams) across 20 sports that make up Team PNG.