A new logo has been unveiled by the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee as it prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary ©PNGOC

A new logo has been unveiled as the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) gears up to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

The PNGOC will be 60 years old on August 2, and plans to celebrate the milestone with "a wide range of activities throughout the year."

The 60th anniversary logo - which adds text commemorating the landmark alongside the existing PNGOC badge - is the first.

While the PNGOC was established in 1961, the nation did not gain independence from Australia until 1975.

The PNGOC was recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1974 and sent athletes to an Olympic Games for the first time at Montreal 1976.

The organisation was known as the British Empire and Commonwealth Games Association initially, and later the Papua New Guinea Sports Union.

Athletes from Papua New Guinea have competed at each of the last nine Summer Olympics ©Getty Images
Athletes from Papua New Guinea have competed at each of the last nine Summer Olympics ©Getty Images

Other past names include the Papua New Guinea Amateur Sports Federation in the 1970s, Papua New Guinea Sports Federation and Papua New Guinea Sports Federation and Olympic Committee, before the PNGOC branding was settled upon.

Sir John Dawanincura is currently serving a third and final term as PNGOC President, having been narrowly re-elected in June 2020.

Auvita Rapilla - an IOC member - is secretary general.

The PNGOC has sent athletes to each of the last nine Summer Olympic Games, but the country is yet to win a medal.

Sailing siblings Teariki and Rose-Lee Numa are the only athletes from the nation to qualify for Tokyo 2020 so far, but several more - including Commonwealth Games weightlifting champion Dika Toua - are training for qualification events.