NMI to be represented by only 6 sports

Only six sports in next year’s Pacific Games in Samoa will feature CNMI athletes, with only 20 people making up the delegation.

This was announced during Thursday’s monthly Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association meeting by president Michael White, which disclosed that as of that date, only beach volleyball, athletics, golf, sailing, and surfing had submitted the initial payment required by the deadline, which was on Dec. 1.

Tennis was added to the mix during the meeting after national coach and Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association vice president Jeff Race expressed his federation’s interest in sending a team.

After receiving the green light from the general membership, Race presented a check to White, covering the initial payment requirement, or 10 percent of the total cost.

Race explained that initially NMITA was not looking to send athletes to the Pacific Games due to the new eligibility rules, as well as expense.

The decision changed just a couple of days ago after CNMI gold medalist Todd Montgomery, who currently resides in Texas, expressed his interest to compete. With that, Montgomery and Tim Quan will shoulder the CNMI’s push on the courts in singles and doubles competition.

The delegation also includes White, who will serve as chef de mission, while Gabriel White will serve as a basketball referee at the Games.

With the low number of participants, White explained that chartering a plane to Samoa will not be possible. However, he is trying to work with Palau, Guam, and the Federated States of Micronesia in combining all athletes for one plane.

White said, though, that he has yet to receive a response from the mentioned delegations.

Without a chartered flight, the CNMI delegates must pay a total of $3,200, which will cover air travel and accommodations.

Several months ago, the general membership agreed that teams going to Samoa must pay 10 percent of the total cost by Dec. 1, 20 percent by Feb. 1, 30 percent by April 1, and 40 percent by June 1.

With that, $326 was needed to be paid by Dec. 1. A total of $640 per delegate must be paid to NMASA by Feb. 1, $960 by April 1, and $1,280 by June 1.

The Pacific Games will be held from Aug. 24 to Sept. 7 and will feature delegations from Fiji, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, the NMI, Guam, Palau, Samoa, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna, Marshall Islands, Niue, Norfolk Island, and Tuvalu.