(ATR) Former Botswana National Olympic Committee President Negroes Kgosietsile says he wants to "put African sport in pole position" if elected the next leader of ANOCA.
Kgosietsile is one of four candidates running for the post of President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa. He is running against FIFA Council member Lydia Nsekera, Algerian NOC President Mustapha Berraf, and African Athletics President Hamad Kalkaba Malboum.
"Past leaders have laid the foundation and the time is now, more than ever before, for a leader that will not only bring true cohesion within the continent, but one that is visionary, has great leadership and people skills," Kgosietsile said in an exclusive interview with Around the Rings. "I have envisioned, and I know I can help to drive an African Olympic Movement that is characterized by order, structure and transparent systems."
In the immediate term Kgosietsile says that ANOCA must revise is "weak constitution" and adopt a clear vision and strategy for the organization. ANOCA must also review its weak structures that have allowed for poor oversight in its governance, and begin more programs to empower women leadership.
Once the immediate term problems are solved, Kgosietsile says it is then time to address the lack of high performance centers on the continent and work to empower NOCs across Africa so that athletes receive the benefits.
ANOCA was compelled by CAS to hold its elections again after a ruling that the elections at the 2017 General Assembly were invalid.
At the 2017 Assembly, challenger candidate Malboum was barred from running on the eve of the election. The ANOCA Executive Board said that he had used government funds to campaign against incumbent Lassana Palenfo.
Last minute evidence was used to bar Malboum, and the lack of an Ethics Committee complicated matters. The IOC Executive Board had weighed in on the situation unbeknownst to the ANOCA General Assembly. Djibouti IOC member Aicha Garad Ali wrote to all members of ANOCA to hold an extraordinary assembly at the 2017 Association of National Olympic Committees meeting in Prague, Czech Republic.
At that assembly, African sport leaders struck a compromise. Palenfo would stay as president through the CAS appeal, but the executive board would run the day to day activities of ANOCA. Following Malboum’s successful appeal, Palenfo stepped down and said he would not run again.
ANOCA will now hold an Extraordinary General Assembly on Nov. 29 on the sidelines of the 2018 ANOC General Assembly in Tokyo to hold new presidential elections.
Kgosietsile says his experience running the Botswana NOC and the successful hosting of the 2014 African Youth Games shows he is ready for the top job on the continent. He said that winning the presidency to the Confederation of National Olympic Committees of Southern Africa shows that he can run a regional body.
Successful management of ANOCA is vital to the future of leveraging the potential of athletes in Africa, Kgosietsile believes. He says under his stewardship he could produce "podium finishes in all major multi and single sport competitions" while delivering more African hosts of sport events.
"I am ready," Kgosietsile said. "I know what it takes to transform a small outfit into a robust one that is both efficient and effective."
Written by Aaron Bauer
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