Samoa Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC) has approved the recently formed Tri-Sports Samoa Association (TSA) to be the official triathlon organisation.

The endorsement by SASNOC was announced by the TSA executive in a press release issued late Monday to confirm that the association is now the official sports organisation for triathlon in the country. 

The decision of the SASNOC was conveyed in a letter dated 28 September 2023 addressed to the TSA President Arthur Mulitalo and signed by President Pauaga Talalelei Pauga. The correspondence was also copied to the former president of the now-defunct Samoa Triathlon Federation, Seti Afoa. 

In the letter from the SASNOC Board, Pauaga advised, “Following SASNOC’s full enquiry and assessment, and there being no other triathlon federation registered with SASNOC, the SASNOC Board is satisfied that TSA meets all the required criteria for registration with SASNOC, and accordingly endorses its application, and is therefore duly registered as the recognized Federation for the sport of triathlon in Samoa.”

In response, Mulitalo said the endorsement of SASNOC was what they wanted all along, and they are now happy that the sports governing body of Samoa has given its stamp of approval.

"For the athletes and their families to be able to make the decisions for our sport, all of us here in Samoa who are doing the work to make it grow," he said in a statement. "We are so happy that all the troubles getting here are in the past. 

"Our focus now is on preparing for the upcoming Pacific Games and the World Championships next year. We have a lot of work to do to keep building the bright future for triathlon in Samoa."

Athlete Representative to the TSA Executive Board, Manamea Schwalger shared her response to the news. 

“I feel relieved and proud of our Executive who put in the effort to make this happen. Them and the other parents all made sure to have us athletes focused on our training, rather than what was going on in the background. We all trusted that their efforts to get us endorsed would be rewarded.”