On the Scene: IOC Chief Opens African Olympic Assembly

ANOCA President Lassana Palenfo with IOC President Jacques Rogge in Abuja. (ATR / Panasonic:Lumix)IOC Chief Opens African Olympic Assembly

IOC President Jacques Rogge told delegates from 53 African nations that the IOC has established a "very close collaboration" with the continent

Rogge spoke in both English and French during the opening ceremony of the 13th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa on Monday. The two-day gathering concludes Tuesday with presentations by the four 2016 bid cities and elections.

Goodluck Jonathan, the vice president of Nigeria, opened the General Assembly, which is being attended by more than 250 participants.

Lassana Palenfo, ANOCA president, called Rogge's presence "a heartwarming thing and a testimony to the confidence the IOC has in ANOCA."

Rogge said Olympic Solidarity will pour more than $23 million into support in Africa in this quadrennium, which is a 25 percent increase over the last four-year cycle. He said he wanted to reassure delegates that the IOC supports the development of sport in Africa.

"The African continent occupies a very important position in our world," Rogge said. "Your continent is the youngest continent -- you have moral responsibility towards this youth."

Rogge is making his second visit to Nigeria six years after he attended the All-Africa Games.

"Nigeria is a rich sporting nation," he said. Noting that Nigeria won the silver medal in football in Beijing, he said, "I am not going to forget it, as Nigeria beat my home country, Belgium (in the semifinals)." A line of dignitaries including IOC President Rogge walk between farm fields to reach the site of the cornerstone-laying ceremony for the new ANOCA headquarters. (ATR/Panasonic:Lumix)

But there were no hard feelings, as Rogge took part in an official groundbreaking at the site for the new ANOCA headquarters building. ANOCA moved from Cameroon to Abuja in 2006.

Although Abuja is the nation's capital, the building site is in an undeveloped area far from downtown.

Despite a hot, muggy day, more than 100 IOC members, NOC officials and bid team members trooped on a dirt road between corn and peanut fields to the site.

Some cinder blocks were already in place as Rogge used a trowel to lay another block. ANOCA delegates studied plans for the complex, which were posted on a large board, and a cake was unveiled for the occasion.

Pele Meets Nigerian Children

Football legend Pele is his own toughest act to follow. A boy in Abuja with a football from Pele. (ATR/Panasonic:Lumix)

On his first trip to Nigeria in 1967, he stopped a civil war. The two sides called a 48-hour cease-fire to watch him play an exhibition match with his team, Santos.

On Pele's latest trip Monday, he appeared at the Brazilian Embassy to promote Rio's 2016 bid and give away 50 autographed soccer balls to children from the Edu-Vision International School. Pele also will be part of Rio 2016's presentation to ANOCA on Tuesday.

"I think everybody knows the desire we have to have the Olympic Games in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro and that's the reason I am here today," he said, "to talk with you and advise you how beautiful it will be if we have the Olympics in South America in 2016.

"Brazil has its heart open for everyone. We are prepared, no doubt."

Pele, 68, was named the Athlete of the Century by the IOC, but never played in the Olympics because he turned pro when he was about 16.

"All my life I was crazed to play in the Olympics," he told Around the Rings, "but I signed a contract with Santos too young. At that time, professional players could not play in the Olympic Games. This is the reason I am here working hard, because I wanted to have one more opportunity to see my country have the Olympics."

Would a Rio win make up for missing a chance to play in the Olympics? Pele laughed. "I want to be there. If we win, this is a victory already."

Rio was the only bid city reaching out to the Nigerian population through sport.

Carlos Nuzman, president of the bid and an IOC member, said this demonstrated how Rio wants to leave a sports legacy with children and introduce them to heroes and sports history.

"The moment that we come to Nigeria," he told ATR, "there is nothing better than Pele coming to be with them, to give a ball to each one, to say a few words and take pictures.

"It was a great moment to show the IOC how Rio is working."

The ceremony was also attended by Brazil's ambassador to Nigeria, Ana Candida Perez; Orlando da Silva, Brazil's Minister of Sports, and Ambassador Joe Kashi of Nigeria.

Bid Cities Take the Stage

A 15-minute report from London 2012 chief Sebastian Coe will kick off Tuesday's agenda, followed by a report from the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Pele takes the Rio de Janeiro bid to a group of school children. (ATR/Panasonic:Lumix)

Then the 2016 candidate cities will make their final presentation at a continental meeting. Chicago, Madrid, Rio and Tokyo will have at least 15 minutes and as many as 20 minutes to showcase their plan to the ANOCA delegates.

Since last October, the 2016 bids have managed to present to all five of the continental Olympic associations.

The seven sports vying for inclusion on the 2016 program will also have 15-minute segments to plead their case.

ANOCA Elections On Tap

The six-way race for secretary general is the most eagerly anticipated of the ANOCA general assembly, but seven other positions are also up for grabs.

Robert Mutsauki, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, and Ignace Beraho, president of the Rwanda NOC, are considered the top contenders, but most hold off Khaled Zein El Din, secretary general of the Egyptian NOC, Olabanji Oladapo, secretary general of the Nigerian NOC; Raymond Ibata, president of the Congo Brazzaville NOC and Santi Sène Hagne, secretary general of the Senegal NOC are the other candidates.

Palenfo is running for re-election as president against Col. Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, president of the Cameroon NOC.

Mustapha Berraf, secretary general of the Algerian NOC, is up against Moussa Aggrey, president of the Chad NOC, for 1st vice president.

Joao Manuel Da Costa Alegre Afonso, president of the Sao Tome and Principe NOC, is unopposed for 2nd vice president.

Agnes Basilla Tjongarero, president of the Namibia NOC; Benson Tongo Baba, president of the Ghana NOC, and Jacob Gbeti, president of the Central African Republic NOC, are vying for the position of 3rd vice president.

Dagmawit Girmay, president of the Ethiopia NOC; Teresa Filomena Fragoso da Costa Quarta of Angola and Hajera Kajez of South Africa are candidates for 4th vice president.

Habu Gumel, president of the Nigeria NOC; Yawovi Dogbo of Togo; Leon Folquet, president of the Gabon NOC and Mamadou Talata Doula of Niger are running for Treasurer General.

Writing and photographyby Karen Rosen in Abuja

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