On the Scene at ONOC -- New Games for Oceania; Gosper's Farewell

ONOC President Steve Smith wants a new multi-sport event for Oceania. (ATR/A.Stavrinos/Panasonic:Lumix) Olympic Sports Federations of Oceania (OSFO) President Steve Smith has called for a new multi-sport event in Oceania that meets IF standards and provides high level of competition.

Smith, who is also secretary general of FIBA Oceania, made the appeal during his address at the ONOC general assembly, acknowledging there was currently “no such animal."

He has suggested that such an event could start as a youth Games and later evolve to an open age format.

This could collide with the Pacific Games Council, the only event that bears any resemblance to a regional, multi-sport Games in Oceania. Only one problem though – Australia and New Zealand don’t take part.

Smith explains in ONOC’s annual report that the 2008 OSFO meeting covered new ground and demonstrated its members’ commitment “when we tackled the thorny questions of eligibility and the competition structure with the Pacific multi-sport festivals.”

“Regrettably, I have to report to you, that while we had frank and cordial discussion with the PGC in a forum brokered by ONOC, we are no closer to achieving the aims of OSFO.”

Economic Downturn Claims Key Oceania Foundation Role

Oceania Foundation executive director Anne King, who spent many years in her previous role as PA to ONOC President Kevan Gosper, announced at the meeting that her tenure had prematurely come to an end.

The Foundation was set up in 2007 to leverage corporate philanthropy around the Olympics and help develop sport-related initiatives throughout the region.

The sudden and unexpected world economic downturn had a devastating effect on those plans, causing a decline in attracting more sponsors.

Samsung remains the largest corporate contributor to the Foundation with a five-year deal delivering between $1.5 and $1.75 million.

King says last November, the ONOC executive board agreed to allow the Foundation to operate in its existing form for another year, due to its inability since late 2007 to raise funds, which was its primary objective.

“Regrettably, but understandably, the Foundation has had to move early to restructure and reduce overheads, which has led to the removal of the position of Executive Director… me.”

Discussing the Foundation's performance in comparison to expectations, Gosper said, “Its fundraising efforts have not been as successful as we had first hoped and given the onset of the world financial crisis, the outlook is not encouraging."

Tributes to Gosper and Fun for All as ONOC Wraps

Outgoing ONOC President Kevan Gosper was moved close to tears as he voiced his gratitude to a series of tributes from his Oceania colleagues at a wrap up dinner.

“You have made me so happy today,” Gosper declared in a shaky voice, before expressing satisfaction that ONOC had been left in safe hands and his confidence that the organization will continue to prosper.

Former IOC member and gold medal windsurfer for New Zealand Barbara Kendall made a surprise appearance to discuss the IOC Athletes Commission and provide some entertainment. Sebastian Coe, pictured in a waltz with Barbara Kendall, thanked world leaders for testing one of London 2012's venues – ExCeL London.(Getty Images)Kendall is currently a contestant on the New Zealand edition of Dancing With The Stars.

After a simulated physiotherapist “rub down” from IOC President Jacques Rogge as she stretched, Kendall performed a high-paced dance routine with her partner on the show, Johnny Williams.

Before the end of the dinner, even London 2012 chief Sebastian Coe got caught up in the fun, joining Kendall on the dance floor for a brief dance.

Defrantz Wants Monitoring of Bidding Costs

A front page article in Tuesday's Otago Daily Times quoted senior IOC member Anita Defrantz, saying there was a cost blowout by the Chicago 2016 bid.

“Chicago’s Olympics bid double that of London's at $NZ87m,” screamed the headline. Unfortunately, the reporter appears to have got his numbers mixed up.

London 2012 chief Sebastian Coe tells Around The Rings he recalls his bid spent around 29 million pounds [$42.7 million] with the exchange rate at the time being at least two American dollars to the British pound.

According to the Otago Daily Times report, Defrantz says “it breaks my heart” to see so much spent on the Chicago bid as well as the bids of the three other candidate cities.

Defrantz IOC member Anita Defrantz would like the IOC to review the cost of bidding for the Olympics. (Getty Images)told Around The Rings she does not back away from that sentiment and hopes the IOC will continually review the conduct of bid cities and find ways to decrease the costs involved in the process.

“I want to see money spent on sport and the betterment of sport and opportunities for kids, so I know that for the Chicago bid that is what has happened a lot.

“I also know with the Chicago bid, it’s been spent on being certain that the little building that they have to do, that they’ll be able to do it – making certain that the bid is based on facts and that is okay as far as I’m concerned.”

Briefs…

In his report on organizational progress of the London 2012 Games, Sebastian Coe reported that the G20 summit taking place in London was making use of one the city’s key venues for the Olympics, ExCeL London. During the 2012 Olympics, the ExCeL London venue will host: boxing, fencing, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling.

“I’m delighted that the leaders of the world agreed to take part in our first test event,” Coe told the meeting.

Written by

Anthony Stavrinos

For general comments or questions,

click here

Click here to see the latest Around the Rings Olympic Bid Power Index -- the only authoritative ranking of the 2016 bid cities.