The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), represented by President Mustapha Berraf, and the International Swimming Federation, the governing body of aquatics, represented by President Husain Al-Musallam, on 18 March 2021, at the headquarters of NOC Egypt in Cairo, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in view of supporting and developing aquatics in Africa.
The aim was for the Parties to establish a relationship of permanent cooperation in the swimming discipline. In the Memorandum, FINA and ANOCA welcomed each other’s support in their efforts to not only make aquatics accessible to all in Africa, but also to enhance performance levels in these disciplines across the continent.
The partnership, which is deemed mutually beneficial, aims at cementing friendship ties and formalising the relationship between both bodies. The agreement, which is meant to promote shared understanding and interests, will be premised on cooperation, exchanges, training etc.
Several actions beneficial to African sport will be implemented:
- Scholarship Programme for Aquatics Athletes: In line with programmes selection and implementation set out in the FINA Scholarship Programme Guide, the Parties intend to set up a programme to support athletes who aspire to qualify for participation in the FINA World Championships and Olympic Games;
- Training camps: In tandem with FINA Development Centres, and preferably during qualifiers for the Olympic Games and the FINA World Championships, the Parties intend to organise training camps for aquatics athletes with a view to enhancing their performance levels;
- Coaching Development Programmes: The Parties look forward to increasing the number of Coaching Certifications and coaching development opportunities across Africa;
- FINA Development Centres in Africa: The Parties intend to collaborate to support the activities of FINA Development Centres in Dakar (Senegal) and Franschhoek (Republic of South Africa);
- Swimming for All – Swimming for Life Programme: The Parties intend to harness their efforts to promote this programme whose objective will be to teach swimming to as many people as possible in Africa, while highlighting the benefits of physical activity and in particular swimming;
- The “Pools for All” Programme: The parties intend to work together to support nations without Olympic size swimming pools in Africa through the FINA “Pools for All” Programme.
In addition to the ANOCA and FINA Presidents, the ceremony was attended by Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhi, and a host of officials of the African Olympic Movement including ANOCA Executive Committee members and the President of NOC Egypt, Engr. Hesham Mohamed Tawfeq Hatab.
