Governance vital to sports growth: Tsiamalili

The National Sports

By ISAAC LIRI
GOVERNANCE plays an important role in any sport, and that was reiterated by the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation chief executive officer Peter Tsiamalili Jr over the independence anniversary weekend.
Tsiamalili Jr said that in moving sport forward in the country, all national federations of sports must have their governance in order before putting their hands up to host big sporting events in the future.
He said the good thing was that some federations had drawn up strategic plans but the important part which all should understand was where the Government came in as an underwriter and a partner in hosting these sporting events.
“It is always important to understand what is entailed in the host agreement, when all parties, both the Government and the national federations, understand the position of hosting big events,” Tsiamalili said.
“If we do not understand governance and what is written in the host agreements, we could end up having a greater liability and even lose financiers in hosting big events.”
Tsiamalili Jr urged good governance, highlighting the vital working relationship the PNG Sport Foundation had with the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee, national federations and corporate bodies.
He commended the newly-established constitution of the PNG Olympic Committee, saying that it went in line with good governance, ensuring all national federations abide through appropriate channels, making an impact in the growth of sport in the country.
“The PNG Olympic Committee are aware in their new constitution and encourages all national sports federations to become a proper, registered entity through the Investment Promotion Authority.
“This is an indicator of sport thinking seriously about managing themselves going forward in the country.”
PNG Volleyball Federation president Kila Dick and PNG Netball Federation president Julianne Maliaki Leka supported  Tsiamalili’s call for good governance in sports.
Dick said his federation planned to bring the Oceania championships to Port Moresby sometime in the future.