Olympic Review 99

Page 64

MANAGE, TRAIN, EXCHANGE – THE KEYS TO SUCCESSBEHIND EVERY GREAT ATHLETE IS A GREAT TEAM, AND OFTEN THAT TEAMWORK STARTS WITH THE NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE. IN ORDER TO HELP NOCs ASSIST THEIR ATHLETES, OLYMPIC SOLIDARITY INVESTS MUCH OF ITS TIME AND MONEY IN TRAINING AND EDUCATING THOSE IN CHARGE IN EACH COUNTRY AND TERRITORY Ever since it was created over 50 years ago to support a number of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in countries which had recently become independent, the ultimate priority for the Olympic Solidarity Commission has been the development and progress of athletes. But towards that end, there are a number of means, including the training and education of national sports administrators. Olympic Solidarity resources are split into sectors: World Programmes provide the NOCs with financial and technical assistance; Continental Programmes supplement those offered at world level according to the specific needs of each region; Olympic Games Subsidies enable NOCs to send their delegations to the Olympic Games.Of these sectors, the largest is World Programmes, which has accounted for 37 per cent of the overall Olympic Solidarity budget during the 2013-2016 quadrennial cycle with 17 programmes divided into four areas: Athletes, Coaches, NOC Management, and Promotion of Olympic Values.The NOC Management programmes include introductory level courses on the Olympic Movement and sports administration, while the Advanced Sports Management Course (ASMC) offers in-depth training to executives from NOCs, national federations and other national sports organisations. The first step towards organising advanced courses is to have a trained programme director. Olympic Solidarity selects NOC-nominated programme director candidates to attend a training session conducted by international experts (mentors) over three days. OLYMPIC SOLIDARITY64 OLYMPIC REVIEW

What are the challenges faced by sports organisations in Chad that you are trying to overcome through these courses?

Currently in Chad, sports executives are giving way to non-sports executives. For example, I work in finance administration but am a volunteer within a sports organisation. Our NOC president is an army general but a volunteer in sports. Most leaders are volunteers who have another occupation. All these people are not sports people, but are acting in a sporting context and making sports-related decisions. This presents a challenge.

Do these courses help to overcome these challenges and transfer sports management skills to these leaders?

Exactly. For those who have not followed sports management training, these advanced management courses are very important. They permit them to better manage their organisations from an administrative, organisational and financial perspective. Above all, for the management of large sporting events. The ASMC is welcomed within the NOC as it helps bring all these people up to speed.

What is the impact of these courses?

Take my own case. I completed the course for sports administrators a year ago and then went on to do the advanced course at the local level. I subsequently also completed MEMOS. This has allowed me to establish a project for the restructuring of the management of human resources in national sports organisations, which helped me become Secretary-General of my federation. Prior to the course I was simply a national athletes' representative; now I am at the heart of the administration, but always as a volunteer.

How has the current situation in Chad impacted the work of sports organisations and sport generally in the country?

The situation in Chad is quite tense as we are in an election year. The country is on maximum security alert because of the threat of terrorism. We are trying to use sport - particularly large sporting events - as a unifying factor. Sport is a vector of peace.