adminMutsauki, who is in the country on holiday break, took time to highlight some of the major events that he has been part of since he joined Anoca in January this year.
He said the experience he had when he worked with Coja, advising them on the technical issues as they prepared for the Games, was an opportunity for growth and will contribute to his career in the near future.
“My secondment to Coja, organising the All-Africa Games for three months from July to September, was really a challenge but it was an opportunity for growth.
“Anoca hosts its own event and I thought if I get this experience it will be of great value.
“In 2014, we have the (African) Youth Games in Botswana and we are already preparing for the event.
“It was recently decided that Anoca should be responsible for hosting the All-Africa Games following the dissolution of the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa.
“Anoca would take over the responsibility of hosting the games from 2014, we will be working with the Association of African Sports Confederation.
“That’s why I saw it as an opportunity then. There is a lot of preparatory work required and you cannot run out of work and that’s positive.
“I know the Games will be better organised and there will always be a comparison with SCSA but there is a foundation and we can build on that foundation unlike with the Youth Games (held last year),” said Mutsauki.
Mutsauki also attended the Olympic Solidarity Forum held in Zimbabwe in September, which was focusing on the London 2012 Olympic Games and a Seminar for the Secretary-Generals for African NOCs in Bamako, Mali, last month.
“I attended the Olympic Solidarity Forum for London 2012.
“I went there to make a presentation on Anoca’s expectations for the NOCs and the chef de mission.
“It was really a question of reminding them of the things we expect.
“When you go for the Games you must plan on what you want to achieve, clearly everyone looks for improvement with medals or without medals.
“In the past Anoca has attended these forums more like spectators without really making a significant impact.
“On 16 and 17 November we had the annual Anoca secretary-generals meeting in Bamako to share ideas, experiences and knowledge on the way forward.
“I made a presentation on ‘Exploiting Opportunities’ by African NOCs and it was well received.
“We have NOCs that are not exploiting opportunities and are not benefiting fully, those that are exploiting the opportunities are doing well.
“Why they are not exploiting the opportunities is because they don’t have a strategic plan.
“Some NOCs are not even identifying the opportunities because maybe they have other priorities, there are many barriers to leveraging opportunities and you need to read into your environment,” said Mutsauki.
Mutsauki said they have a pilot project on strategic planning and they have five countries — Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland and Zambia and if it succeeds they will spread it to other countries.
“If it succeeds we want to roll it out to other NOCs because many don’t have strategic planning.
“The idea is to take them through a strategic plan process so they come up with their own strategic plan.
“We have some Zimbabweans and we have taken as facilitators – Stanley Mutoya, David Mutambara and Edward Siwela,” noted Mutsauki.
The Anoca technical director said there was need for African countries to plan for them to improve their performance.
“Africa, to a large extent, is under performing at the Olympics and we are saying something should be done.
“A lot of resources are being put in so what’s happening to those resources?
“There are resources coming from Anoca, Olympic Solidarity, IOC and the International Federations and we want to see results.
“Africa is the biggest continent in the Olympic movement.
“We have a lot of potential but potential cannot give you results, you need to develop it.
“NOCs are not operating at the same level but we are saying every NOC has the potential.
“Every country has got talent but there are many countries were talent is not cultivated,” said Mutsauki.
Mutsauki said they were now preparing for the London 2012 Olympic Games and were hoping to open an Africa Village at the Games where African NOCs will have an opportunity to meet.
“We will be at the Games trying to motivate the performance of our NOCs.
“Anoca wants to open an Africa Village where we can bring the NOCs together to socialise, plans are already underway.
“NOCs can exhibit, embracing their culture,” said Mutsauki.
Mutsauki said he has faced a number of challenges as Anoca technical director but the positive feedback he continues to receive from key stakeholders keeps him going.
Online Reporter