Samoa’s Olympic Team Garners Funding Support

SASNOC CEO Tuala Mathew Vaea, NBS CEO Sam Swann, SASNOC President Patrick Fepulea’i & Team Samoa Chef ‘de Mission Nynette Sass during yesterdays cheque presentation.

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 01 APRIL 2021: Samoa’s Olympics representation in July is gathering financial support with the National Bank of Samoa putting in $40,000 tala to assist the Samoa Association of Sports & National Olympic Committee (SASNOC) preparation to send the team to the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

So far, Samoa has 8 athletes qualify in Weightlifting, Sailing, Boxing, Canoeing and Athletics with several more expected to qualify by June.

NBS Chief Executive Officer, Sam Swann presented their donation to SASNOC’s President Patrick Fepulea’i.

The Bank has sponsored a lot of events in the past and they are the first to lend a hand in assisting Samoa’s Olympic 2021 team’s preparations.

SASNOC President Patrick Fepulea’i said having this support from NBS is a bonus for their preparation and they really appreciate it.

The team is looking at securing at least ST$800,000 talā but Team Samoa Chef de Mission, Nynette Sass said the budget continues to grow.

“We have received funding from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) but with all the uncertainty with COVID-19, our budget keeps growing,” said Sass.

They are yet to approach the Government for assistance with their preparations.

SASNOC Confident for an Olympic Medal    
Fepulea’i is confident that team Samoa will bring back a medal come July in Japan.

“It is the first time we are confident that, at least with the weightlifting team in particular, we might get a medal,” said Fepulea’i.

He said it does not matter what colour medal an athlete gets because any medal from the Olympics is quite an achievement and coming from a place like Samoa, “we are basically fighting for a chance against the world heavyweights.”

8 Olympic qualifiers with more expected
“We have some serious medal contenders with a couple more to qualify for our team,” said Fepulea’i.

He proudly told the media how Samoa’s weightlifters performed against lifters from New Zealand and Australia during their on-line qualifying competition.

But still there are lifters yet to qualify and they are hoping they will come through after the Monaco qualifying competition in June.

“So I am proud to say that we have 8 athletes qualified already and it is not often that this happens for Samoa,” said Fepulea’i.

There are two swimmers yet to go through their qualifying competition and may add to Samoa’s biggest team ever to the Olympics.