For the first time off the courts and sporting arenas a proactive vision of the Pacific Games Council has seen athletes’ welfare taken center stage in this year’s Pacific Mini Games in Palau.
Each national team delegation includes a dedicated safeguarding officer, embedded to ensure athlete and participant welfare throughout the Games.
These efforts are further supported by the Safe Games Team—a group of four regional Safeguarding Champions hailing from Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and host nation Palau. Spearheading this dynamic team is Roshika Deo, Team Up GEDSI and Safeguarding Officer, who also serves as the official Games Safeguarding Team Leader.
The Safe Games Team hosted a pivotal networking session last Saturday with safeguarding officers across participating nations. The gathering facilitated valuable dialogue, providing space to exchange on-the-ground experiences, review current safeguarding protocols, and collectively identify key challenges and opportunities for strengthened support.
Among the key voices in this space are Milton Kisapai, a former elite athlete and anti-doping facilitator, and Delisha, a seasoned sports administrator and safeguarding facilitator. Both are serving as safeguarding focal points for Team PNG and bring a wealth of knowledge and advocacy experience in clean sport and athlete protection. The duo continues to collaborate closely with the Pacific Games Council to help embed best practices across the board.
Together, the Safe Games Team and safeguarding officers are engaging with local service providers to raise public awareness and establish clear, trusted channels for reporting and responding to incidents. These collective efforts reflect a growing commitment across the region to foster safer, more inclusive sporting environments.
