Private Notice Question |04 October 2023
‘IOIG athletes will be rewarded once anti-doping results are in’
Monetary rewards for athletes who won medals at the recent Indian Ocean Islands Games in Madagascar are ready and will be issued once anti-doping tests are in.
The minister responsible for sports, Marie-Celine Zialor, made the statement during yesterday’s National Assembly session.
She was answering a private notice question tabled by the leader of the opposition, Sebastien Pillay, who was enquiring as to why the athletes were yet to receive their rewards despite having done all the formalities.
Minister Zialor, who was accompanied by the principal secretary for youth and sports, Ralph Jean-Louis, informed the National Assembly that a medal is confirmed only when an anti-doping test is negative.
“Madagascar has informed us that the results will be ready in October. The National Council for Sports has advised all teams and we will issue payment as soon as the results are in,” said Minister Zialor.
Hon. Pillay and the other members of the opposition who intervened queried as to why the president said payments were forthcoming at a reward ceremony at State House, raising the athletes’ expectations, knowing that only a negative doping test result would guarantee payment.
Minister Zialor told the members that anti-doping test is the norm and an international requirement and that all federations and sporting associations were aware of this.
She stressed the matter was also raised at various sporting meetings prior to the 11th Indian Ocean Islands Games and letters were distributed to those concerned.
Seychelles won 84 medals at the recent game – 11 gold, 33 silver and 40 bronze – to finish fourth overall.
A gold medal is worth R40,000, while a silver and bronze medal are R25,000 and R12,000 respectively.