adminThe meeting, which took place on April 10 and 11 at Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan, brought together experts of the African Olympic Movement, to discuss “Africa’s preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.”
The main thrust was for participants to brainstorm and make recommendations to ensure that Africa puts up a good show in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and also for Anoca to share its African sports development vision with the continent’s NOCs and sports ministries.
The round table discussion, which aimed at the development of elite sport, was opened by the Ivorian Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, Alain Lobognon, who lauded the initiators of the symposium because, according to him, they were able to identify the cankerworm eating deep into African sport.
Turning to the president of Anoca, the minister insisted: “This meeting is in line with the futuristic vision of your actions at the helm of the National Olympic Committees of Africa. We will have to mobilise the necessary resources to ensure that our athletes perform better.
“It is also part of the daunting missions devolved on you which, among others, warrant that our athletes be fully prepared for the Olympic Games. National Olympic Committees must sow the good seeds for all sports federations.”
On his part, Anoca president, Intendant General Lassana Palenfo, noted in his keynote that “the stumbling block to sport development in Africa also has to do with the distribution of budgetary resources which are usually devoted only to football and elite sport, to the detriment of all others”. I hope that we will take time to also discuss other issues relating to talent identification, training of elite athletes, sport in school milieus, training of officials, relations between public authorities and sports administrators, not forgetting Africa’s participation in international competitions, doping control, violence and complacency in sport and humanitarian action.”
This speech-making phase was followed by a meeting of experts with the Anoca president, who in his introductory remarks outlined the main goals of the meeting, which included: the need for fruitful discussions on the forthcoming Olympic Games in order to get better results; the urgent need for concerted action with political authorities in a bid to develop projects for athletes; evaluation of Anoca’s capacity for better channelling of assistance to the African Olympic Movement;definition of a futuristic vision to render African athletes more competitive.
Palenfo then made a clear analysis of the situation of African sport without mincing: It was plagued by poor management, conflicts of interest and misappropriation of funds. Stakeholders of the African Olympic Movement were duty-bound and obliged not only to protect, but to also clean their image.
“It is a daunting task that requires concerted efforts in a bid to harness all conditions necessary to fully prepare our sporting elite for the forthcoming Olympic event in 2016; Governments, main sponsors of sporting activities; utterly expensive sports equipment; no economic integration of sports equipment at local level; lack of initiatives geared towards development projects; urgent need for transparent management of available resources; insufficient resources from sponsorship,” Palenfo said.
Various experts then presented a number of papers: Anoca’s technical director Robert Mutsauki and Shepande (introduction and evaluation of past performances and statistics), Agopom, Diop and Sam Ramsamy (Analysis of available resources), Cheikh Thiare (strategies for success), Diamil Faye (finances: strategic partnerships) and Sam Ramsamy (next stages).
The round table on preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro concluded with the Chart of Recommendations centred on: A strategic development plan, a development plan for athletes, a development plan for coaches, signing of institutional partnerships, upgrading of infrastructure and tax exonerations for sports equipment, mobilisation of funds, co-ordination and implementation of the recommendations.
It should be noted that the college of experts comprised African Noc presidents, representatives of CONFEJES, the Confederation of African Football, the African Union, the African Judo Union, the International Handball Federation, the Dakar Regional Athletics Centre, the African Swimming Confederation, presidents of National Sports Federations of Côte d’Ivoire, and the National Olympic Committee of Côte d’Ivoire (CNO-CIV).
At the end of the deliberations, Palenfo had this to say: “These deliberations should show the way forward for the attainment of our targeted goals, that is, greater participation of African countries in international events but, above all, winning many medals and world titles. —Anoca.com
Online Reporter