The Solomon Islands Rugby Union Federation (SIRUF) and the Solomon Islands Taekwondo Federation (SITF) have officially registered with the National Sports Council (NSC) for the 2026 calendar year.
Their registration brings the total number of registered national sporting federations to 10.The registration marks an important step in strengthening governance standards, athlete development pathways and support for national sports in the Solomon Islands.
With their registration confirmed, both federations can now access several benefits under the NSC framework.
These include free access to national sporting facilities for national squad training, subsidised venue hire for competitions and use of the High Performance (HP) Centre to help prepare athletes for regional and international events.
Under the NSC guidelines, each federation can nominate one Senior Men’s and one Senior Women’s national squad, as well as one priority age-group squad for both men and women. These selections are part of the NSC’s plan to strengthen athlete development pathways from grassroots to elite level.
Registered federations can also apply for the NSC Governance Grant of $10,000 and other funding opportunities, subject to approval and compliance requirements. Governance recognition certificates have also been issued to both federations.
SIRUF was established in the 1960s and became a full member of World Rugby in 1999. The federation runs competitions in schools, communities and provinces, supporting both 15-a-side and 7-a-side rugby while developing players from grassroots to national level.
Taekwondo has also grown steadily in the Solomon Islands. Competitive programs started in the early 2000s, with athletes representing the country at regional competitions. The sport gained national attention during the 2023 Pacific Games when Team Taekwondo won 14 medals, including the country’s first gold medal in the sport.
The latest registrations follow earlier confirmations from several federations, including the Floorball Federation of Solomon Islands, Solomon Islands Cricket Federation, Solomon Islands Football Federation, Solomon Islands Hockey Federation, Solomon Islands Tennis Association, Solomon Islands Athletics Federation, Solomon Islands Powerlifting Federation and the Solomon Islands Volleyball Federation.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
