15 Feb 2016

Sport: Tonga waiting to hear from IOC

12:45 pm on 15 February 2016

Tonga's Olympic Committee is waiting for confirmation from the IOC whether changes made to its constitution have been approved in time to meet today's deadline.

Funding from the IOC has been suspended since the middle of last year and won't be restarted until the draft constitution is given the seal of approval from head office in Switzerland.

If Tonga's Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee does not meet the February 15th deadline the Kingdom would not be able to go to the Rio Olympics and athletes would have to compete under the Olympic flag.

It has spent the past month updating the document and submitted the changes on Friday last week.

TASANOC hoped to hear from the IOC today and its Executive Committee will meet to discuss the matter on Tuesday.

If approved, the new constitution will be adopted at next month's AGM.

Tonga's flag

Tonga's flag Photo: RNZ