The Papua New Guinea Teqball Federation (TeqPNG) was welcomed as an official member of the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PGNOC) during the NOC’s recent Annual General Meeting (26 June).

Led by President Mr Percy Mataio, TeqPNG is leading impressive growth in teqball participation across the country. TeqPNG, which was recognised by FITEQ in 2020, is one of seven National Federations in the Oceania region and one of 114 worldwide. It was approved as a member of PGNOC after meeting the criteria set out in the organisation’s constitution. This included developing a constitution of its own, creating a strategic plan for engaging more people in teqball, and registering with the Investment Promotion Authority.

President Mr Percy Mataio reflected on being welcomed as a member of PGNOC, saying, “Becoming affiliated to the PNGOC was a key target of ours. We are pleased to achieve this milestone early on in TeqPNG’s existence and are grateful to the other member national federations for their support. We are also pleased that we will be able to benefit from the support PNGOC provides its members through its capacity development work and our dream is to one day see our teqball players representing the country as part of Team PNG at the Pacific Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games."

The recognition from PGNOC is the latest in a number of recent milestones for the growing federation. It follows the first teqball referee and coaching course in Papua New Guinea last month and there are plans to organise the country’s first national competition.