Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee
Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee logo
Country/Region Tuvalu
CodeTUV
Created2007
Recognized2007
Continental
Association		ONOC
HeadquartersVaiaku, Funafuti
PresidentIakopo Molotii
Secretary GeneralIsala T. Isala
Websitewww.olympic.org/tuvalu

The Tuvalu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (TASNOC) is the Tuvaluan organization recognized as a National Olympic Committee (NOC) by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 2006, Tuvalu satisfied the IOC's criterion of a minimum five national sports federations recognized by their international sports federations, which included basketball, volleyball, weightlifting, boxing and table tennis.[1]

TASNOC is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code published by the World Anti-Doping Agency.[2]

History

TASNOC came into existence when the Tuvalu Amateur Sport Association or Tuvalu Association of Sports (TAS) was recognized as the Tuvalu National Olympic Committee on 16 July 2007.[3] Robert Laupula managed the Tuvalu Sports Association and the application for membership of the Olympic movement, which was co-ordinated by the Oceania National Olympic Committees.[1][4]

Geoffrey Ludbrook, who represented Tuvalu at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in the men's 50m Rifle Prone event, worked with the Oceania Shooting Federation so that the Tuvalu Shooting Association obtained full membership of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) in 2007.[5][6][7]

In 2013, Tuvalu was granted Associate status in the Oceania Continent Handball Federation by the International Handball Federation.[8]

Facilities and management

Tuvalu has one sporting field close to the airport. Athletes also train on the airport tarmac, the beach, or on a road. TASNOC's Secretary General said the following about the biggest challenges the committee faces: "I think it's finance and facilities, sporting facilities."[9]

The athletes do not have access to nutritionists, physiotherapists, and sports psychologists. They talk with the pastors of the church for guidance.[9]

In 2007, the Secretary General of the Tuvalu National Olympic Committee was Nakibae Kitiseni.[10] The Secretary General in 2012 was Teake Esene Manatu,[11] who was succeeded by Isala T. Isala on April 3, 2014.[12][13] The Secretary General is responsible for the logistics of the Tuvalu Games, as well as the logistics when athletes participate in regional and international competitions. They are also in charge of talent acquisition and recruiting.[9]

Kausea Natano was TASNOC's President in 2007.[14] Ampelosa Tehulu, from the Tuvalu Basketball Sports Federation, was elected President of TASNOC on 5 March 2015.[15] Eselealofa Apinelu was the immediate past President.[16] Iakopo Molotii was elected President of TASNOC on September 9, 2016.[13]

The annual budget of TASNOC is 10,000 Australian dollars.[9]

Events

Olympics

Main article: Tuvalu at the Olympics

Tuvalu participates in the Olympic Games in the Summer Olympics and have not competed at the Winter Games.[17] Tuvalu entered the Olympic Games for the first time at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China, with a weightlifter and two athletes in the men's and women's 100-metre sprints. A team with athletes in the same events represented Tuvalu at the 2012 Summer Olympics, in London, United Kingdom.[18]

Etimoni Timuani represented Tuvalu at 2016 Summer Olympics in the 100 metre event. Tuvalu was the only country to send one competitor to the 2016 Summer Olympics.[19][20]

Tuvalu was represented in athletic events at the 2020 Summer Olympics by Karalo Maibuca in the men’s 100 metres,[21] and Matie Stanley in the women’s 100 metres.[22]

Pacific Games

Main article: Tuvalu at the Pacific Games

TASNOC organizes Tuvalu's participation in the Pacific Games, and they have participated in six Games. The association is responsible for training the athletes and preparation for the Games.[23] Tuvalu arrived at the 2015 Pacific Games two hours before the Opening Ceremony due to a cyclone that affected the team's travel.[24] They earned their first ever gold medal at the games when Telupe Iosefa won the powerlifting competition.[25]

Tuvalu Commonwealth Games Association

Main article: Tuvalu at the Commonwealth Games

TASNOC is also responsible for organising Tuvalu's participation in the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Youth Games. Tuvalu joined the Commonwealth Games Federation and first participated in the Commonwealth Games in 1998, when a weightlifter attended the games held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[26] Tuvalu has subsequently sent teams to compete in every Commonwealth Games since 2002. They have participated in table tennis, athletics, shooting, weightlifting,[26] boxing and beach volleyball.[27]

Affiliations

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Diana Semi and Silafaga Lalua (2 November 2006). "400 grand needed for TAS". Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  2. ^ "Code Signatories". World Anti-Doping Agency. 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  3. ^ Lalua, Silafaga (9 July 2007). "Tuvalu in the IOC". Tuvalu-News.TV. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  4. ^ Semi, Diana (1 November 2006). "Tuvaluan doing very well in weightlifting". Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Executive Meeting Oceania Shooting Federation: Minutes B.07.13 Tuvalu". 2007. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  6. ^ "Tuvalu Shooting Federation - ISSF Membership". 2007. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  7. ^ "Oceania Shooting Federation - OSF". 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Tuvalu Handball Association". International Handball Federation. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d Tsathas, Alexandros (2 August 2016). "In the running". Honi Soit. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  10. ^ Lalua, Silafaga (9 July 2007). "Tuvalu in the IOC". Tuvalu-News.TV. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  11. ^ "Team Tuvalu Sprinting Home". foxsportspulse.com. 4 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  12. ^ IOC. "Tuvalu". Archived from the original on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  13. ^ a b "Secretary General". ANOC. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  14. ^ "Tuvalu Joins Olympic Committee". Tuvalu Online. July 6, 2007. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  15. ^ Taumaheke, Kuata (9 March 2015). "TASNOC is under new leadership" (PDF). Fenui News. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  16. ^ "Directory 2013" (PDF). Pacific Games Council. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  17. ^ IOC. "Tuvalu". Archived from the original on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  18. ^ "Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau Newsletter (TPB: 02/2012)". London 2012 – Tuvalu in the 30th Olympiad of the Modern Era. 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  19. ^ Etimoni Timuani Archived 2016-08-02 at the Wayback Machine. rio2016.com
  20. ^ "The Underdogs: 15 Olympic Athletes That Could Shock the World". Rolling Stone. 5 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  21. ^ "Karalo Hepoiteloto Maibuca". Tokyo 2020. 2020. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  22. ^ "Matie Stanley". Tokyo 2020. 2020. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  23. ^ "TASNOC named Deputy CDM and Team Manager for Pacific Games 2015" (PDF). Fenui. February 2, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  24. ^ Morgan, Liam (July 2, 2015). "Tuvalu set to arrive at Pacific Games just two hours before Opening Ceremony due to weather-hit journey". Inside the Games. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  25. ^ Morgan, Liam (10 July 2015). "Tuvalu claim first-ever Pacific Games gold medal as Samoa and Nauru share Port Moresby 2015 powerlifting spoils". Pacific Games 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  26. ^ a b "CGF - Tuvalu". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 29 July 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  27. ^ Webster, Andrew (30 July 2022). "'I am from Tuvalu and my country is going to sink': Comm Games team you should be backing". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
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