ONOC president calls in on new CISNOC head

Thursday 23: Newly elected Oceania National Olympic Committee president Dr Robin Mitchell of Fiji is currently on the island where he has been following a tight schedule.

Mitchell, who is an International Olympic Committee member, was elected as ONOC president late last month during the ONOC annual general assembly in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Since arriving on the island early yesterday morning, Mitchell has met with new Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee president Sir Geoffrey Henry, former CISNOC president Tiki Matapo and members of the CISNOC management and executive board.

Mitchell’s full schedule included paying a courtesy call on minister of the 2009 Pacific Mini Games Wilkie Rasmussen, mini games chief executive officer Mac Mokoroa, before being hosted to dinner by the Cook Islands Lawn Bowls Association.

This morning Mitchell will be hosted to breakfast by the Women in Sports members including minister of youth and sports Ngamau Munokoa.

Mitchell is also scheduled to meet with prime minister Jim Marurai and deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate.

He will be hosted to dinner this evening at the Rarotonga Golf Club.

Tomorrow, Mitchell will be among the special guests at the ceremonial foundation stone laying of Olympic House in Tepuka before he departs the island on Friday night.

Mitchell, who is based in Fiji was the first Pacific Islander to be elected as secretary general of ONOC – a position he held for 16 years. Mitchell has again made history with being the first Pacific Islander to lead ONOC as its president.

The main purpose of his trip has been to meet with sports stakeholders in the Cook Islands. - MW