admin10 years of service.
The former Zimbabwe Olympic Committee president, who initially was meant to pass the baton March, confirmed that he now has set his sights on the position of secretary-general of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa.
He said the Anoca post had less pressure compared to what he has had to deal with working for the IOC.
Sithole was then expected to leave his IOC office in August but his contract was extended to January next year.
This was done to enable him to offer his support and knowledge as the IOC are scheduled to hold crucial elections soon.
Speaking at the sidelines of a two-day 3rd International Forum on Sport for Peace and Development, which was attended by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon and IOC president Jacques Rogge at the UN headquarters, Sithole said there will be no extension come January.
“I just had my contract extended which will see me work in the IOC department for International Co-operation and Development for some months but definitely January I am leaving,” said the Zimbabwean.
“They just needed me to be there until after the elections in August, a time which in fact I thought I would have left.
“The office has a lot of work which entails a lot of pressure and I have been involved with it for the past 10 years.
“I now prefer coming to Africa but I also am planning to join another private firm which will keep me very busy as well.”
Sithole is co-ordinating the two-day biennial forum here which ended yesterday and was attended by about 400 delegates from 200 nations across the world.
The IOC honoured the UN secretary-general with the Olympic Order award in recognition of his personal commitment to use sport as a tool for social change, a concept brought to life through various joint IOC-UN projects at community level.
In his speech, the UN chief said sport was now at work in helping peace and development in countries around the world.
He commended the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka, Zambia, which receives about 10 000 youths every day, ensuring they are kept off the streets and from criminal activities, and turning some of them into athletes.
“We met some of the young athletes using the facility and saw how the center is benefiting the community.
“It is the first in a series of multi-sport facilities scheduled to be built in developing countries as part of the IOC’s Sport for Hope programme,” Ban Ki-Moon said.
The forum ended yesterday with delegates debating on issues of integration and mainstreaming sport in development and peace, the culture of peace through sport, sport and social inclusion, sport and social development as well as capitalising on partnerships and networking.
The IOC has six fields of activities which are Sport for All, Development through Sport, Education through Sport, Women and Sport, Peace and the Environment and Sport for Peace and Development.
Online Reporter