FROM OUR ARCHIVES

The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Mr Jacques Rogge, and his wife, Anne, will visit Tonga from October 25-27, 2011, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tonga Amateur Sports Association.

Mr and Mrs Rogge will be accompanied by Ms Yasmine Braeckevelt from the Office of the President in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Dr Robin Mitchell the President of the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC), Suva, Fiji.

The Secretary General of the Tonga Amateur Sports Association (TASA), Takitoa Taumoepeau said the IOC President is one of the most powerful persons in the world of sport.

"The visit is to acknowledge and honour TASA's 50th anniversary of service to sports, as well as to visit the NOC Headquarter," he said.

The Tonga National Olympic Committee (NOC) was created in 1961 under TASA. It became the Tonga Sports Association & National Olympic Committee TASANOC and a member of the Commonwealth Games Federation in 1968.

In 1984 TASANOC became a member of the International Olympic Committee.

TASANOC is responsible for preparing and sending athletes to multi-sport games, such as the Olympic, Commonwealth and Pacific Games.

Silver Medal

Tonga remains to be the only Pacific Island to have won a medal at the Olympic Games, a Silver Medal in boxing, at the Atlanta Olympic 1996 by Paea Wolfgramm, in the Super-heavy weight division.

Mr Jacques Rogge was elected President of the IOC during the 112th International Olympic Session in Moscow on 12 July 2001.

Since he came into office, he has made a commitment to eliminate corruption and cheating within Olympic sports. He recently launched a strict monitoring program of athletes, including international drug testing out of competition. He also aims to create more possibilities for developing countries to aid and host the Olympic Games, including adjusting IOC policies to limit the number of and reduce the complexity for organizing and hosting the game.

On October 26 Tonga's official programme opens with a hymn by 'Ahongalu Fusimalohi the senior vice president of TASANOC, followed by a scripture reading, an opening prayer and the Lord's prayer, as well as a closing hymn and a closing prayer.

Lord Tevita Tupou, President of TASANOC will welcome the delegation and during the ceremony President Rogge will join Hon. Fane Tupou Vava'u Tu'ivakano, President of Tonga women-in-Sport to plant a commemorative Heilala tree before the unveiling of a commemorative plaque to mark the completion of NOC headquarters renovations and the TASA 50th anniversary.