I dare hope, dear brothers and sisters, that this message will reach your hearts and further help you to overcome, humility and warmth of heart, the dreadful ordeal that we are still going through.
This message is not intended to whip up any emotions in you; I just wish to confirm what makes us Olympians of the highest order, invigorated by our solidarity and fraternity that have projected the image of our association, ANOCA, at the highest level.
ANOCA is doing well and its new mode of operation offers brighter prospects that will certainly confirm the ideas conveyed by the authentic champions, the men and women who bring joy and happiness to our people who dream of a team that will implement the policy and strategies for the development and structuring of African Sport. Together, we will make it happen.
The Executive Committee of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and all the 54 NOCs have taken up their common mission, to raise Africa to the summit of Sport and Olympism and provide its athletes with the means to assert themselves.
There is no getting away from facts, they are sacred and speak for us all.
The continent is bracing for an outstanding participation in the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games to be held in Japan in 2021, and is confident that it will be able to organise the African Youth Games in 2022, the All Africa Games in Ghana in 2023 and the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal in 2026.
Some of these events had to be postponed due to the terrible Covid-19 pandemic.
This global health crisis has, however, also helped us display our enduring sense of solidarity. In recent months, we have taken up the cause of our athletes whose daily lives have been disrupted by the ravaging pandemic. We have decided to provide them funding to enable them prepare for upcoming sports events with a cool head. The IOC has lent us assistance in this regard, and we are grateful for this.
It is our bounden duty, we discharge it with love and passion just like the forebears of our glorious continent did.
Together we are strong, together we will overcome! We have said it repeatedly, and are saying it today without mincing.
LONG LIVE THE AFRICAN OLYMPIC MOVEMENT, LONG LIVE ANOCA, LONG LIVE THE IOC!
Fraternally,
Mustapha Berraf,
President of ANOCA
IOC Member
