Islands Business - Samoa/ SPG: THE QUINTESSENTIAL SPORTSMAN

Sir JDee leads sporting charge in HIV battle

Sophie Foster
He’s been to six Olympic Games, six Commonwealth Games, seven mini-South Pacific Games and eight SPG— in one capacity or another—since 1966.

Leading from the front... Sir John Dawanincura (right) in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

So there is no doubt that Sir John Norbert Dawanincura, or JDee as he is known to his many friends, is the quintessential sportsman.But his sense of sportsmanship extends far beyond the ideals of fair play, striving spirit and courtesy.

Sir JDee is in the battle against HIV/AIDS through the sporting arena. He takes the issue very personally and extremely seriously.

“It is a matter of life and death and therefore we have no choice but to be involved. Our responsibility as sports people is to ensure that we take this on for all our families,” he says.

Sir JDee is one of a growing number of leading Pacific islanders who have realised that individuals from all walks of life must join the battle if the HIV spread is to be stopped in the region.

“The spread of HIV is a major problem in PNG. So as a father and uncle, I realised the importance of the HIV education and awareness process.

“Basically it revolves around the family. I have the responsibility as a father and uncle to advise my immediate family and nieces and nephews in my village who are regularly involved in sports. On a personal level, I have been doing this by getting as much literature and condoms as possible to take to the village.”

Since 1980, Sir JDee has been involved with the PNG Sports Federation & Olympic Committee in one capacity or another continuously at national and international level. This will be his 23rd year as its secretary-general.

When someone like Sir JDee takes an issue like HIV personally, the results can only be good for both sport and the battle against HIV’s spread.

Indeed this year is a momentous one for PNG’s sporting organisations as they set out to use their existing operational structures to spread HIV awareness.

It started when the International Olympic Committee took the lead by joining hands with UNAIDS to come up with a HIV/AIDS toolkit for sportspeople, which has since been distributed around the world.

Last year the Asia Pacific Leadership Forum on HIV/AIDS and Development (APLF) linked up with Sir JDee through ONOC’s Robin Mitchell to develop a prevention programme with the Pacific sports community.

A regional seminar for National Olympic Committees in the Pacific, held in PNG in April this year, saw sporting bodies take significant steps towards the HIV challenge. PNG is leading that charge.

“We hope to get signatures of all stakeholders in PNG for our national declaration—and we’re nearing completion of that exercise,” Sir JDee says.

“Our focus is obviously how we as sportspeople can make a difference. Our slogan is ‘Be a Leader—Prevent HIV/AIDS through Sports’. We have 38-40 affiliates and the first step is to get a national declaration agreed to by our stakeholders. As stated, we will be working in partnership with all stakeholders rather than reinventing the wheel.”

The sporting bodies recognise that providing entry points to greater segments of the population through sports, HIV awareness programmes will become more effective. It would also go a long way towards mainstreaming the HIV issue.

“We’re looking at distribution of information, conducting workshops and destigmatising the issue, in line with our national declaration. Through our national affiliates this goes to their provincial associations and further on to sports bodies under their umbrellas. We are not looking at duplicating what’s on the ground, we’re looking for areas where we can make a difference in HIV awareness.”

While the measures are a good example of how sports bodies can take charge, Sir JDee says they are only just scratching the surface.

“In PNG, it’s mind-boggling as to the number of organisations that are involved. We’ve learnt a lot ourselves as to the number of organisations that are already doing their part in this challenge and we’ve now established how we can help. It takes a coordinated effort.”

Sir JDee brings a unique perspective having been an elite athlete, general team manager and chef de Mission, sports administrator, a member of the South Pacific Games Organising Committee and PNG representative to international organisations including the SPG Council, the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Oceania National Olympic Committee and the Association of National Olympic Committees.

In August, sporting bodies from around the Pacific will be sending their best athletes to Apia for the South Pacific Games. For Sir JDee, the Safe Games campaign continues to be a vital challenge. His greatest hope is that sportspeople in the region show leadership in the area of HIV/AIDS awareness. For in doing so, not only would they spread the ideals of sportsmanship, they would help stem the HIV tide in the Pacific. As Sir JDee says: “Unless we as individuals take some action, it just compounds the problem. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to act in their best interest—for they are the future sportspeople and leaders of the Pacific.”