Returning last night from an pre-Olympics seminar in London, Takitoa Taumoepeau the Secretary General of Tonga's National Olympic Committee said today that he is targeting a small Tongan team of about nine to eleven athletes to compete in the 2012 London Olympics and that the London riots would not change their plans.

On July 27 the President of the IOC officially invited the Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) to participate in the Games of the XXX Olympiad, to be held in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012.

"We have a tentative team idea of what sports we are going to enter and trying to qualify for, apart from athletics where we already have two invitees on wild card or universality basis," Takitoa said.

Other members of Tonga's Olympic team would most likely come from boxing, swimming, archery, judo, taekwondo, and women's weightlifting.

Takitoa said that over the next 12 months there are many opportunities for Tongan athletes in different sports to compete in qualifying events and it is possible to apply through TASANOC for subsidies from the IOC Solidarity fund for athletes to attend training and qualifying events.

"IOC put up funds to apply for to help pay for team's participation. There are plenty of funds to apply for but the lead time is two months." Takitoa said that it was up to national sports federations to apply but TASA staff could also help with proposals for Olympic Solidarity funding.

He said that for those athletes who do not qualify for the Olympics he understood that it was still possible to apply for universality places in most sports, with the exception of boxing.

Boxing

With IOC support, three Tongan boxers - Junior Fa, Tevita Pomale and Anthony Helu, were currently training in the United Kingdom. "The IFA world championship is coming up in October so if our boxers can make the first 16 in their rounds they will qualify. But if they fail there then there is another chance at Oceania," he said.

A young Tongan archer Arne Jensen (14) will train in Europe. "As well as the 2012 Olympic Jensen is also aiming to qualify for the 2014 Youth Olympics," said Takitoa.

Athletes in other sports had come close to qualifying times recently, including swimmer Amini Fonua in China, within 1/100th of a second outside of qualifying.

"So by November we should be able to target a small team," said Takitoa.

Security

Security concerns were raised at the seminar for chefs de mission and national organizers from August 7-14, when during the meeting the London riots broke out and spread to other parts of the country.

"From our hotel we could see the black smoke from the fires in another part of London," said Takitoa, who was staying with the IOC delegates from 202 member countries at the Hilton in Knightsbridge, overlooking Hyde Park.

"We were taken by surprise when we saw the riots on TV," he said.

The seminar hosted by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), called in their security head to brief concerned members.

"They were not able to answer when we were asking what happens if something like this happens during the Olympics. I guess we were all taken by surprise," he said. "Of course, they will raise those issues with the host government.

"But I have no concern over the security for the Olympic because usually there are restricted areas in place at these events," he said.

"They took us on a tour of the locations. The preparations are fine," he said.

Chef de mission

Takitoa said that unfortunately Tonga's Olympic chef de mission 'Ahongalu Fusimalohi, was busy and unable to attend the seminar so he, as TASANOC Secretary General, was sitting in for him.

He said the name of the chef de mission had to be put forward a year ahead of the event. "We already advise them . . . every member country, every NOC has to register."

Fusimalohi's current FIFA ban was not an issue, he said.

"No it's totally, whatever, the FIFA rule is football related so it is not - I don't think there were any issues, so when we advised them they were pleased they got the name of our chef de mission to advise them about a year ahead," he said.

So they know he's the same person?

"Oh yeah, of course, of course. But the chef de mission is just the head of our delegation, so it's not, really, the main call is done by the secretary general and NOC office secretariat."

TASA board

Takitoa confirmed that the current members of the TASANOC Board are:
President/Chairman, Lord Tevita Tupou.
Senior Vice President, 'Ahongalu Fusimalohi.
Six Vice Presidents: Semisi Fonua (Athletics); 'Amanaki Fakakovikaetau (Tennis); Michael O'Shannassy (Swimming); 'Elina Raass (Golf); Peni Tu'ihalangingie (Boxing); and Sione Taumoepeau (Rugby Union).
Rep. Women-in-Sport, Robin Kaho.
Rep. Ministry of Sport, Taniela Fusimalohi.
Treasurer, Michael Bloomfield.
Secretary General,Takitoa Taumoepeau.

'Amanaki Fakakovikaetau is the Chef de Mission for Tonga's team to the South Pacific Games in New Caledonia this month.