11th Indian Ocean Islands Games 2023 – Madagascar |02 June 2023

Mr Arrisol leading the meeting assisted by Messrs Gopal and Alcindor (Photo: IOIG secretariat)

Teams’ representatives briefed on Games rules, procedures

With barely two months remaining before the stat of the 11th Indian Ocean Islands Games 2023 scheduled to take place in Madagascar from August 23 to September 3, local teams’ representatives have been briefed on the various rules and procedures to be adopted, applied and observed, prior, during and after the Games.

In a special session held on Wednesday at the Olympic House at Roche Caïman, representatives of the 16 sporting disciplines in which Seychelles will take part at the 11th Games were briefed on various important issues, including insurance, medical, doping control, and psychological.

The meeting was chaired by chief executive of the National Sports Council (NSC) Marc Arrisol, along with the president of the Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) Antonio Gopal, who also holds the portfolio of president of the International Games Committee (CIJ), and Socga’s secretary general Alain Alcindor.

Seychelles will take part in athletics (including handi-sports), badminton, basketball (5x5 and 3x3), boxing, cycling, football, weightlifting, handball, judo, karate, swimming (including handi-sports), petanque, rugby (7x7), table tennis, tennis and volleyball. The only discipline Seychelles is not taking part in is wrestling.

A contingent of 575 personnel, including athletes – 225 males and 155 females – coaches, officials, representatives of sporting federations and associations, along with members of the volet jeunesse team will be flying over to Madagascar.

At Wednesday’ briefing session, the first speaker to take the floor was insurance broker Zelda Pillay who explained the different insurance policies in place for athletes, before, during and after the Games, and also the different procedures to go through in case of injuries, or accidents.

Dr Judy Shamlaye, representing the sports medicine unit within the NSC, gave an account on medical screening which is a routine procedure carried out on every athlete leading up to all major Games, aiming at identifying any medical issues, or injuries, thus rectifying any related issues, ensuring that all athletes are on required form to take part in the Games.

On his part, Paul Nioze of the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (Rado) briefed those present on doping tests, as well as the consequences athletes will face if they test positive for any banned substance at the Games.

It is worth noting that at the 10th IOIG held in Mauritius in 2019, Mr Nioze was appointed as the anti-doping test supervisor.

Other than explaining the aim of testing which is to detect and deter doping among athletes and to protect clean athletes, Mr Nioze also encouraged athletes, through their representatives at the meeting, to be wise, and careful in their selection of supplements prior to the Games, since some of them might contain ingredients which are considered non-acceptable, or illegal.

Pastor Terrence Payet, who along with reverend Christine Benoit have been appointed as chaplains for sports, briefed those present of the mandate of the psychosocial support committee set up to help in the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of the athletes in their quest to perform to the best of their abilities in future instances, especially those who will be having first-time experience.

He was followed by mental coach Maurice Denys who talked about the importance of mental coaching for athletes.

Meanwhile, the local IOIG secretariat has been set up, with its office on the compound of the Roche Caïman swimming pool.

The secretariat, headed by Mr Arrisol, has the task of organising and coordinating Team Seychelles’ participation at the 11th Games, while its task mostly involves working in close collaboration with all participating sporting disciplines in ensuring all selected athletes and officials have their paperwork ready by an agreed deadline.

Other than Mr Arrisol, the secretariat is made up of Mr Alcindor, Ruudy Joseph, Steve Hoareau, Bernard Denis, Jennifer Bonne, Gordon Boodna, Dominic Pillay, Lisette Nolin, Maria Dailoo and Gilly Jean.

Roland Duval