MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mike Summers chairman of Falklands Overseas Games Association

Patrick Watts stepped down from FIOGA after 16 years of successes

Following sixteen years as Chairman of the Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association (FIOGA) and the previous two years as Vice-Chairman, Patrick Watts M.B.E confirmed his decision not to seek re-election at the 2009 Annual General Meeting of FIOGA held on 03 December 2009.
Mike Summers O.B.E. a former member of the Executive and Legislative Councils of the Falkland Islands was elected to replace Mr Watts.

Patrick Watts has acted as the Falklands Chef de Mission at all Commonwealth Games meetings since taking two athletes to Auckland, New Zealand in 1990. The recent Games in Melbourne in 2006 were the fifth occasion on which he had been appointed to lead the Falklands squad.

Patrick was instrumental in organising a Falklands team to attend the 1993 NatWest Island Games on the Isle of Wight, and has undertaken the role of organiser and General Team Manager at every biennial games since then, with the exception of 1995.

FIOGA supervises the appearance of Falklands’ competitors at all Commonwealth and Islands Games events, and there are currently 10 affiliated clubs in the Islands.

The Annual General Meeting also saw Mrs Ali Dodd stand down as Secretary. She has also acted as Hon. Treasurer on occasions, holding both posts simultaneously. Mrs Beth Reid was elected as the new Hon. Secretary.

Mr Steve Dent and Mr Michael Poole retain their positions as Vice Chairman and Hon. Treasurer respectively.

The new Chairman Mike Summers has held many public positions within the Falkland Islands; in addition to thirteen years as a Member of the Legislative Council/Assembly, he served eight years as Chairman of the Stanley Sports Association and two years as Captain of Stanley Golf Club, and so brings with him a wealth of political, organisational and sporting knowledge and experience to the FIOGA Executive.

Beth, currently the Swimming Club Secretary, is new to the international sporting scene in the Falklands, though she did accompany the Youth Games team to Pune in 2008.

Speaking of his appointment as Chair of the FIOGA, Mike said “I am delighted to take up the role of Chairman, and look forward to encouraging and assisting sports clubs and individuals to make the best of opportunities available to them to participate in international sporting events. I would like to pay my personal tribute to the work Patrick Watts has done to promote sports in the Falklands, and to promote the Falklands overseas through sports. All our sports men and women are excellent ambassadors for the Islands. I would also like to thank Ali for her willing and long term support for FIOGA, and look forward to working with the new Committee for the benefit of sport in the Islands”.

Mike’s appointment is for four years, taking FIOGA through the Commonwealth Games in Delhi 2010, the Island Games in the Isle of Wight in 2011, the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Isle of Man in 2011, and the final event of this term will be the Island Games in Bermuda in 2013.

The visit of the Queens Commonwealth Baton Relay to the Falkland Islands will take place shortly in Feb '10. Last seen in the Falklands prior to the 2006 Games in Melbourne the relay will visit every Commonwealth Country on its way from London to Delhi.

Each Commonwealth Games has a unique baton, and this is only the second occasion that the Baton Relay has visited the Falkland Islands and every Commonwealth nation.