PNGOC re-opens doors to public

The National Sports

THE Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) re-opens its doors on Monday with restrictions on visitors, especially stakeholders and partners, to manage health risks during the Covid-19 State of Emergency.
PNGOC encouraged national federations and its partners to limit the need for physical contact and take appropriate precautions to protect themselves and others.
The restrictions are:

  • Only national federation essential members and Team PNG athletes involved in programmes are allowed to visit the office between 9am and 4pm to use the resource centre and must contact the office in advance to make a booking to allow for scheduling of computer use;
  • Those utilising their own laptops should see the reception so they can be directed to a space in the office to work while practising social distancing;
  • All other visitors must call ahead to confirm purpose of visit and availability of the PNGOC officer they wish to see;
  • All visitors must wash their hands outside before entering the office. Directions will be given to the designated hand-washing facility;
  • All visitors to register their visit at the reception;
  • Anyone feeling sick with symptoms of flu and cold (including but not limited to fever and dry cough) will not be allowed into the premises; and,
  • All other Covid-19 preventative and hygiene measures to be strictly practised.

All PNGOC staff will also return to work. They have been placed on roster during the lockdown period to comply with the Covid-19 preventative and hygiene measures while also meeting the operational needs of the organisation and provide support to their members and stakeholders.
PNGOC secretary-general Auvita Rapilla said the safety of every Papua New Guinean was important and the organisation was taking the measures to ensure that its staff, their families and stakeholders remain safe during this pandemic.
“We encourage everyone to take heed of the precautions and health measures outlined by the Government and the health authorities,” she said.
“These are hard times for the whole world and we must help each other to mitigate the risks of Covid-19 until the state of emergency (SOE) orders is lifted.”
Meanwhile, PNGOC has put all its events for the first half of this year on hold in observance of the orders.
Rapilla said they were using the period to address in house matters such as improving and updating their e-filing and database management while also planning and adjusting their schedule for the rest of the year.
“We do not know how long the state of emergency will last so we have to be prepared for anything, we have work to do and we will continue to do our best to strive for excellence,” she said.
The state of emergency saw the closure of sports facilities, public areas and gatherings, meaning there are no sporting events, activities or programmes allowed.
Team PNG athletes preparing for their qualifying events for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have also had to adjust their schedule after the Games were postponed to next year.
Rapilla encouraged them to remain focused on their goals and continue training while also keeping safe from the virus and other obstacles and threats that may hinder their preparations.
“The good thing about the postponement is that it allows more time for the athletes to prepare,” she said.
“However, we understand that it also means more sacrifice from them as they have to remain focused and keep themselves fit for the remaining months until the Games.”
With State of Emergency Controller David Manning announcing the resumption of schools and other essential services in the coming weeks as restrictions in Papua New Guinea and most countries are slowly relaxed, PNGOC also hopes to fully resume its activities soon.