IBSUniversity Campus, 11 Mile – Friday, May 16, 2025

In a historic move to elevate Papua New Guinea’s presence on the global sports stage, IBSUniversity has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kassman Taekwondo Club and two of the nation’s Taekwondo Olympians—Gibson Mara and Kevin Kassman. The MoU details a full sponsorship package for specialised international training ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.

The signing ceremony, held at the IBSUniversity campus, was attended by several key figures, including the Founder of IBSUniversity, Sir Mick Nades, Vice Chancellor Professor Ramachandran Arunachalam, Secretary General of the PNG Olympic Committee, Mr. Desmond Kaviagu, Coach Edward Kassman, and the two athletes at the heart of this partnership—Kevin Kassman (-65kg) and Gibson Mara (+80kg).

IBSUniversity will sponsor Gibson Mara and Kevin Kassman through a calculated challenge or drill; it is our dream for Papua New Guinea to bring home a medal,” said Sir Mick Nades, underlining IBSU’s ongoing support for education and sports in PNG. “We are targeting Taekwondo as a promising medal opportunity by making sure our athletes receive the highest level of training available.”

This initiative is a targeted approach for IBSUniversity’s long-standing support for Team PNG. Over the past two decades, the university has actively sponsored Papua New Guinean athletes through various competitions, including the Pacific Mini Games, Pacific Games,Commonwealth Games, and the Olympic Games.

Addressing the Gap in Funding for High-Performance Training

Mr. Desmond Kaviagu, Secretary General of the PNG Olympic Committee, acknowledged the value of this partnership.

“From the National Olympic Committee, we receive funding from the government and various organizations, but these resources are spread across many sports. That limits our ability to fully prepare individual athletes. I am grateful to be here today to witness the MoU signing for this targeted sponsorship given towards these two young Olympians.”

Coach and mentor Edward Kassman, speaking on behalf of the Kassman Taekwondo Club, spoke about the groundbreaking nature of this sponsorship:

“This is something I’ve dreamed of for many years. PNG has the talent—we’ve just lacked the funding. Support usually goes to mainstream sports, but today, Sir Mick and IBSUniversity have come through. This is the only major sponsorship for Taekwondo in the entire Oceania region. I’ve never seen anything like it before—it marks real progress for the sport and our athletes.”

A Legacy of Support

Through this MoU, IBSUniversity cements its legacy as one of the most consistent and passionate supporters of sports development in Papua New Guinea. The university’s unique approach—bridging education, leadership, and sports—is giving young athletes the drive and platform to chase greatness on the world stage.

As Kevin Kassman and Gibson Mara get on the road to Olympic glory, they will carry with them not only the hopes of a nation but also the full support of a university that believes in their potential.

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Email: ask@ibs.ac.pg | penelope.aimari@ibs.ac.pg