‘Despite the extremely dire situation in my country, sport can still play a role in bringing people together because this is a grave situation for the Olympic Community and for sport in Sudan, with NOC headquarters destroyed and sporting infrastructure badly damaged. Many members of the Olympic Community have been trapped in Kartoum, the Capital city, because of the escalating and unpredictable violence there,’’ declared Ahmed Abu Elgasim HASHIM, President of NOC Sudan who also doubles as the ANOCA Secretary General, as he met with Dr Thomas BACH to discuss the humanitarian situation in Sudan, where a civil war has been raging for just over a year now. It has left more than 15 000 dead and 30 000 injured. According to the UN, 222 000 children could die of malnutrition, with millions on the brink of famine. Some reports even highlight cases of “mass graves, gang rape, and indiscriminate attacks in densely populated areas.” Famine and violence have led to more than 7.2 million displaced people.
Dr Thomas BACH stated:
‘‘I was deeply moved on learning about the scale of the tragedy unfolding in Sudan. As a sports organisation, we must acknowledge the limits of what we can do. We are fully activating our partnership with the UN system, and in particular UNHCR, to offer our contribution to the aid effort with regard to the Olympic Community in Sudan. We are committed to immediate ‘ad hoc’ help to those in extreme need and will also strengthen our support for the Sudanese athletes who have the chance to represent Sudan at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Through Olympic Solidarity and the Olympic Refuge Foundation, the IOC will offer physical and mental health support through sports programmes for displaced people in refugee camps. The IOC is committed to helping the members of the Olympic Community in Sudan in most need with regard to their basic needs and safety and security. A number of NOCs are already giving assistance, by hosting Sudanese athletes who have had to flee the violence and famine, and the IOC will strengthen this support to give them an extra boost in their preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, beyond the Olympic scholarships they already receive.”
