Unwearable Lassana Palenfo. At 71, the Ivorian general intendant is seeking a fourth – and final – term as president of the Association of African National Olympic Committees. He will be opposed on May 10, 2017 in Djibouti, during the ANOCA general assembly, to Cameroonian Hamad Kalkaba Malboun, his long-time rival. A few days before the election, Lassana Palenfo, also an honorary member of the IOC, answered questions from FrancsJeux on the occasion of the ANOCA forum on Africa's strategy for the Tokyo 2020 Games, organized last weekend in Abidjan.
FrancsJeux: You announced in 2013, during your re-election as president of ANOCA, that this new mandate would be your last. Why did you change your mind?
Lassana Palenfo: You should know that I did not request the current mandate, my third, which ends in the coming days. In 2013, the ANOCA general assembly asked me to continue the work I had started. I was not asking, because I wanted to devote myself a little more to my country, after having been in exile for a long time in Paris. But the members made sure that I was the only candidate. So I was re-elected. In 2014, I was asked to continue, then again the following year. Some even came to Ivory Coast to convince me. “You can’t leave us in the middle of the ford, you must continue the work accomplished,” everyone told me. I ended up accepting.
If elected, will this fourth term be your last?
Yes. Presiding over ANOCA is not an easy thing. With all the travel, the job is physically demanding. It is also complicated on a technical level, because I have established a rich and ambitious schedule.
This time you have a rival, Cameroonian Hamad Kalkaba Malboun. How does the poll look?
He has been my opponent since the beginning. He always tried to stand against me. But the achievements are there, the work has been done and my vision for the future of ANOCA is clear. Now it's up to the national Olympic committees to decide. If they want me to continue, I will serve an additional term.
How is ANOCA doing today?
She is doing better than she has ever been, but that is still not enough. Africa is full of talent, but I lack the financial means to help them express themselves at the highest level. Today, most of our resources come from Olympic Solidarity. Governments help too, but they can't do everything. We have no partners. I know some who would be ready to take athletes, but we have to organize our marketing. I set up administrative, financial and commercial management. I am in the process of installing a communications service. When everything is in place and working, I can leave and leave the place.
If you are elected, what will be your priorities?
Increase our financial resources. Organize more competitions in Africa, in order to strengthen our athletes before they go to the Olympic Games. Develop training, especially for coaches, based on the agreements we have with Russia, France and the United States. Finally, succeed in the first African Beach Games, which will take place in Cape Verde in 2019.
What is the future of the African Games?
The next edition is assured. It will take place in 2019 in Equatorial Guinea, the only candidate country to organize the event. We have already carried out a site visit, an agreement will be signed with the authorities. The next African Games will take place there with ANOCA.
Does the withdrawal of Durban, South Africa, as host city for the Commonwealth Games in 2022 not compromise the continent's chances of organizing major sporting events in the near future?
No. Durban had everything it needed to host the Commonwealth Games, but the current context is very difficult. His renunciation is a failure, we must not hide it, but it is only a postponement. The IOC wants Africa to host the Olympic Games within the next 20 years. We are evolving. Within 20 years we will be able to have them. This is the wish of the IOC. We will be ready.
Shouldn’t the Youth Olympic Games be an intermediate step for Africa?
Maybe. With 5 athletes and the IOC covering transport and accommodation costs, they are more within our reach. Some African countries could organize them: Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa. All the countries that have already organized the African Games can think about it.
What do you think about the possibility of a 2024-2028 double vote at the IOC session in September in Lima?
Personally, I am in favor of it. With only two candidates still in the race for 2024, I believe we really need to find a solution. If the different parties could reach an agreement, that would be ideal.
