Seychelles at the Dubai Expo: |04 November 2021
More support sought for professionalism in sports
Seychelles, through the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family, is expected to receive more foreign technical support in sports’ development including capacity building in human resources and the redevelopment of sporting facilities and infrastructure.
This will be possible now that the ministry through the National Sports Council (NSC) had discussions with three sporting nations – Australia, Croatia and Hungary – participating in the Dubai Expo.
The chief executive of the NSC, Jean Larue, and Alain Alcindor had meetings with representatives of these countries last Thursday. The meetings were set up following the visit of the Minister for Youth, Sports and Family, Marie Celine Zialor to the sports pavilions at the expo on Wednesday.
With Australia, the team from Seychelles discussed support for the development of water sports, technical support for athletes and capacity building for human resources mainly sports officials and coaches.
The team also discussed how Australia can assist Seychelles to improve its sporting facilities and infrastructure including the setting up of temporary facilities and outdoor gyms.
The Australian delegates have also offered their expertise to help with the design of local facilities and to also link Seychelles National Sports Council with relevant and key authorities in Australia.
There is also the possibility that technicians come to Seychelles to assess sporting venues and better advise the NSC on what is more appropriate for each region.
The visit to the Australian sports pavilion follows a meeting the week prior when Minister Zialor met with the newly accredited Australian high commissioner to Seychelles, Kate Elisabeth O'Shaughnessy, where support for the professionalisation of sports in Seychelles was discussed.
Other meetings held last Thursday was with representatives from Croatia and Hungary. Technical support for the development of volleyball and basketball was top on the agenda. Exchanges between the three countries were also discussed, with the NSC agreeing to take the lead and send proposals of types of exchanges that can happen.
Sports tourism was also discussed with all three countries, as the launching of sports tourism as a new industry is something that is a priority for Minister Zialor. Apart from meetings the officials from NSC also visited the Danish, Malaysian and Finnish pavilions at the Dubai Expo.
Now back in Seychelles, the team will meet and seek guidance from the department of Foreign Affairs on the best way forward in the realisation of what was discussed.
Press release from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family