Sam Ramsamy is not only one of the oldest and most influential members of the IOC. The South African is also the first campaigner for a South African bid for the Summer Games. He explained to FrancsJeux the process and the outlines on the occasion of the International Convention of Sport in Africa (CISA), last week in Cape Verde.

FrancsJeux: How is Durban's bid for the Commonwealth Games in 2022 shaping up?

Sam Ramsamy: I believe that we have, with Durban, a very good candidacy. The city is magnificent. It already has a large number of sports equipment and infrastructures. And certainly enough to host a Commonwealth Games. We will not have to build any specifically for this event, because unlike the Olympic Games, international federations do not have requirements on competition venues. A hall with 1000 or 2000 seats may be enough for the Commonwealth Games. For the Games, at least 10 are needed.

Could the Commonwealth Games in 2022 serve as a springboard for a South African bid for the Olympics?

Like many countries in the world, we are thinking about the Olympic Games. And like many, we have the ambition to organize them. The Commonwealth Games may be seen as a stepping stone to the Olympic Games, but in reality we do not want to establish any link between the two events. The Summer Games are four times bigger than the Commonwealth Games. The specifications are much more precise and demanding. But, at the same time, the economic support is greater and the sponsors more numerous. It is not easy to find partners for the Commonwealth Games.

In the event that South Africa applies for the 2024 Summer Games, are you confident in its ability to rally the entire African continent behind this project?

Africa is a very coercive continent. But it is also very hybrid, with different cultures and histories from one country to another. But Africans like to look for the common denominator in every situation, which is that we are Africans first and foremost. For this, I am convinced that we will be able to unite the continent behind an Olympic project, as we did for the 2010 Football World Cup.

Do you think the current problems in the preparation for the Rio 2016 Games will influence how the IOC chooses the next Olympic city?

You know, the IOC is not a homogeneous organization. It is made up of members who think and decide individually. It is therefore very difficult to anticipate which side she will lean towards when voting for a city. The decision will depend on the influence of the bid committees, their project and their impact in terms of marketing. But personally, I don't think Rio's problems will have an impact on the choice of future cities. I will give you an example: in Europe, the delays in the organization of the Athens Games in 2004 greatly concerned people at the time, but they did not prevent London from winning the organization of the Games. 2012. This is why I do not think that the current situation in Brazil could handicap a candidacy, particularly from Africa, for the 2024 Games.