The Voices of the Athletes has returned and is set up at the main dining hall at the Pacific Mini Games throughout the two week
competition in Raratonga from Tuesday 22 September– Friday 2 October 2009.
The Voices of the Athletes is a joint education initiative by the Oceania National Olympic Committees promoting 3 key messages – Be a Leader, Play True and Play Safe. The interactive education booth involves key athletes to deliver the education and engage other athletes to ensure the messages are athlete friendly! Visit http://www.radiowaves.co.uk/story/82787 to watch a video coverage from the Cook Islands
Be a Leader focuses on the importance of athletes as role models, their responsibilities and the importance of upholding the Olympic
Values of respect, fair play, the balance of body will and mind and the joy of effort. The ONOC Athlete Commission also discusses with athletes and officials how they can set up a commission in their own countries. For more information visit www.oceaniasport.com/athletes
Play True is led by the Oceania Regional Anti Doping Organisation (ORADO) to provide information about anti-doping. ORADO also coordinates all drug testing carried out throughout the games and is keen to ensure athletes receive the correct information and are well educated on their rights and the risks of doping. Athletes are engaged in a computer quiz where they can test their knowledge about doping in sport. For more information visit www.oceaniasport.com/rado
Play Safe promotes awareness of and prevention of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections. Led by the Sports Training and Outreach Program on HIV (STOP HIV) and in partnership with the Safe Games campaign, athletes answer quizzes and have the opportunity to make a creative condom to reduce the taboo and stigma surrounding condom use and provide the opportunity to discuss and talk about sexual and reproductive health. STOP HIV Champions Moape Vu, Jone Wainiqolo, Soko Salaniqiqi, Leena Pratt and Della Shaw from Fiji, Kaitinano Mwemweata, Atea Tetabo and Kevin Reo from Kiribati and Anolyn Lulu from Vanuatu are all supporting the initiative in between their competitions and helping deliver important information to other athletes. For more information visit www.oceaniasport.com/hiv
Voices of the Athletes was conceived at the 2006 ONOC Athletes Comission meeting and was run for the first time during the 2007 South Pacific Games in Samoa. One objective is to encourage National Olympic Committees to set up functioning Athletes Commission in their countries that can drive this initiative at a National level. Combining key education programs under one banner enables the athletes to learn about key issues without being overwhelmed and the feedback thus far has been extremely positive from both athletes and team management.
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