Olympic Solidarity |06 December 2023

As part of preparations for upcoming major Games, and also to boost their ongoing youth development programmes, four local sporting associations and federations have received new equipment from Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga).

The equipment has been funded under the Olympic Solidarity aimed at providing assistance to all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for athlete development programmes, in particular those with the greatest needs of it.

This assistance is achieved through multi-faceted programmes prioritising athlete development, but also training of coaches and sports administrators, and promoting the Olympic values (Olympic charter, rule 5).

Under the Olympic Solidarity programme, Olympic sports federations and associations receive a yearly grant of US $5000, while non-Olympic governing bodies receive US $4000.

The four local beneficiaries are table tennis, boxing, squash and handball.

It was Socga president Antonio Gopal who handed over the equipment to the representatives of the four sports’ local governing body, during a ceremony held at the Olympic, Roche Caïman on Monday, in the presence of Socga’s secretary general Alain Alcindor and executive committee members.

It was chairman Yannick Nicette who accepted the equipment on behalf of the Seychelles Table Tennis Association (STTA), while secretary general Edmond Folette represented the Seychelles Boxing Federation (SBF).

As for the Seychelles Handball Federation (SHF), it was represented by chairman Norbert Dogley, while executive committee members Curtis Saminaden represented the Seychelles Squash Association (SSA).

In terms of equipment, the SBF has benefitted from boxing gloves, boxing pads, punching bags, as well as punching targets, while the STTA has purchased rackets, balls, nets, glue and ball pickers.

After acquiring a new office at the Palais des Sports, the SHF has spent its money on a new computer set, including a printer and scanner, and also office furniture, along with balls of different sizes.

As for squash, the SSA has invested in a squash cannon, which is a mechanical device that automatically throws out squash balls at different speeds and angles to help players to develop their ball hitting technique.

All four governing bodies thanked Socga for its continuous support toward the promotion and development of local sports.

Roland Duval