The Executive Council of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) met by videoconference on 18 May 2020, in a restricted session chaired Dr Robin Mitchell. Held in the midst global health crisis, the meeting afforded an opportunity for the ANOCA President, Mustapha Berraf, to deliver Olympic and Sporting Africa’s message.
President Berraf began by thanking the participants for holding the meeting, which provided a platform to seek solutions to the health crisis. “I thank you for your availability and willingness to find a way out of the crisis we are all experiencing,” he declared. The ANOCA steward also spoke for the African NOCs, soliciting ANOC’s support. “My message will focus on a request made to me by the majority of my counterparts of African NOCs, who are requesting that you release special funds to enable them to continue their operations and maintain their athletes and technical staff. The redistribution of a suitable amount with specifications that would lay down terms and conditions for the use of the funds would be very much appreciated by our NOCs who hereby express their gratitude to you in advance,” said Mustapha Berraf, who also solicited ANOC’s assistance “to the various Olympafrica Centres in Africa, 48 in number, and most of which are experiencing horrible situations, even crying out because of hunger.”
The ANOCA President’s message also focused on preparations for the Dakar 2022 Games. President Mustapha Berraf appealed to his ANOC counterparts to support the organisation of this event, a first in Africa, which stands as a challenge to the Continent.
The appeal made by the ANOCA president throughout the meeting was heeded. The ANOC Executive Council decided to allocate more than eleven million dollars to support continental associations and member NOCs currently affected by the coronavirus crisis. Africa, for its part, will benefit from an additional support in view of the many difficulties encountered by its NOCs. This decision has been very well received by NOCs of the Continent as they look forward to the days ahead with a cool head, particularly with regard to their operations and preparation of athletes for major world events.
