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Australia and New Zealand to take part in 2015 Pacific Games

Australia and New Zealand are to take part in next year’s Pacific Games in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, making it Oceania’s first truly Continental Games.

It will be the first time the two countries have taken part in the Games since they started in 1963.

The Pacific Games Council (PGC) rubber-stamped a proposal to allow Australia and New Zealand to take part in four sports – rugby sevens, sailing, taekwondo and weightlifting – at its General Assembly in Port Moresby.

The announcement follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Robin Mitchell, President of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC), and Vidya Lakhan, chairman of the PGC.

Oceania was the only region without a Continental Games and athletes from the region had to go to other competition and regions to try and qualify for the Olympics.

Lakhan has assured the 22 member countries that as they move forward, they will always protect the interest and rights of the member countries.

Weightlifting is present at all Continental Games except for the European Games.

Source: insidethegames