Purposes. The purposes of the corporation are: (a) To establish Commonwealth-wide goals for athletic activities and encourage the attainment of those goals; (b) To coordinate and develop athletic activity in the Commonwealth, directly related to international athletic competition, to foster productive working relationships among sports-related organizations; (c) To exercise exclusive jurisdiction, directly or through constituent members or committees, over: (1) All matters pertaining to Commonwealth participation in the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Universiades, the Pacific Games (including the Pacific Mini-Games), and the Micronesian Games, including representation of the Commonwealth in such games; and (2) The organization of the Pacific Games (including the Pacific MiniGames), the Micronesian Games, and other international multi-sport competitions when held in the Commonwealth; (d) To obtain for the Commonwealth, directly or by delegation to the appropriate national federation, the most competent representation possible in each event of the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Universiades, the Pacific Games (including the Pacific Mini-Games), the Micronesian Games, and other international multi-sport competitions; (e) To promote and support athletic activities involving the Northern Mariana Islands and foreign nations, territories, and political subdivisions thereof; (f) To promote and encourage physical fitness and public participation in athletic activities; (g) To assist organizations and persons concerned with sports in the development of athletic programs for athletes; (h) To provide swift resolution of conflicts and disputes involving athletes, national federations, and sports organizations, and protect the opportunity of any athlete, coach, trainer, manager, administrator, or official to participate in athletic competition; (i) To foster the development of athletic facilities for use by athletes and assist in making existing athletic facilities available for use by athletes; (j) To provide and coordinate technical information on physical training, equipment design, coaching, and performance analysis; (k) To encourage and support research, development, and dissemination of information in the areas of sports medicine and sports safety; (l) To encourage and provide assistance to athletic activities for women; (m) To encourage and provide assistance to athletic programs and competition for athletes with disabilities, including, where feasible, the expansion of opportunities for meaningful participation by such athletes in programs of athletic competition for able-bodied athletes;
(n) To encourage and provide assistance to athletes of racial and ethnic minorities for the purpose of eliciting the participation of those minorities in athletic activities in which they are underrepresented; and (o) To operate and manage the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium and adjoining sports facilities (collectively known as the Oleai Sports Complex), and such other sports facilities as the corporation may be designated to manage. Source: PL 4-66, § 1 (§ 9404); (s) added PL 14-56, § 2, modified; repealed by PL 18-49 § 4(c) (May 7, 2014); new section enacted by PL 18-49 § 3(103) (May 7, 2014). Commission Comment: PL 14-56 was enacted on January 28, 2005, and contained the following findings, in addition to severability and savings clause provisions: Section 1. Findings. The Legislature finds that Public Law 4-66 established the Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association, a public corporation with the purpose to promote, regulate and coordinate sports activities, facilities and events, wherever they may be held. In the promotion of the sports activities and for the acknowledgement [sic] of the contribution of amateur sports to the community and in recognition of the achievement of the residents of the Commonwealth, the Legislature recognizes the need for the establishment and administration of an official Northern Marianas Sports Hall of Fame.