By Nick Butler

The ONOC General Assembly consisted of 17 NOC's across the region ©ONOCPlacing more women in leadership roles has been identified by a key area of focus following the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) General Assembly in Guam. 


The Women and Sports Commission, one of a series of Committees which met during the Assembly, is aiming to help women achieve greater leadership roles in the communities and on their respective National Olympic Committees.

During the meeting, the ONOC Assembly elected Auvita Rapilla, secretary general of the Papua New Guinea Sports Federation and Olympic Committee, to the ONOC Executive Board to replace Ken Tupua from American Samoa, who resigned.

That brings the total of women on the 10 person Board to three, with Rapilla joining Pala's Baklai Temengil and New Zealand's International Olympic Committee member Barbara Kendall.

In 2004, ONOC became the final IOC continental body to have a formalised Women and Sports Commission.

Chairwomen Helen Brownlee insists huge progress has been made since then.

Former New Zealander windsurfer turned IOC member Barbara Kendall is one important of the most women in ONOC ©Getty ImagesFormer New Zealander windsurfer turned IOC member Barbara Kendall is one important of the most women in ONOC ©Getty Images




"The Oceania Region is probably the strongest in the world for women's sports," she said.

"It's been quite encouraging...unfortunately, Guam is not the lighthouse in the region [for women holding leadership roles in sports], and it could be."

This view is based on the IOC recommendation that 20 per cent of the seats on individual NOCs should belong to women by 2005, with Tasi Ada, secretary general of the Athletes Commission. the only woman on the six-person Guam National Olympic Committee Board.

American Samoa, Samoa and the Solomon Islands were cited as the other three ONOC countries who do not fulfil the 20 per cent criteria.