Radio New Zealand International reports that the national federations, which make up two-thirds of ASNOC's active membership, want Joseph Victor Langkilde to be removed as head of the body after it is claimed he made payments that were not approved by the ASNOC Assembly.

They include a cheque to the rugby union with only Langkilde's signature and a $50,000 (£30,000/€38,000) payment to a Stephen Gibson, but the leader has rejected the accusations as false and claimed that either the Executive Board or General Assembly approved the transactions.

He also claimed the move is a form of retaliation after some sports associations were given warnings that they were not complying with ASNOC's governance rules.

The petition also calls for the removal of Brent Young as ASNOC secretary general and a member of the Executive Committee as he is not an American Samoa national as required under the body's statutes.

Young, who has been a member of the ASNOC Executive Board for eight years and is President of the American Samoa Tennis Association, was elected as secretary general in May this year after Erika Radewagen resigned from the position.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it is now waiting for a report from ASNOC.

"The IOC is aware of the situation with the NOC of American Samoa but at this stage it is an internal issue of the NOC and we are, as usual under such circumstances, awaiting for a report from the NOC," a spokesperson told insidethegames.

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