Presidential Candidate Berraf Vows to Unite ANOCA

(ATR) Mustapha Berraf promises to restructure and reform ANOCA if he is voted in as president next month.

The Algerian NOC president, interim ANOCA president for the last eight months, is one of three candidates to head the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa in the elections at the Nov. 29 extraordinary general assembly in Tokyo.

Berraf is standing against IOC member from Burundi Lydia Nsekera, former Botswana NOC head NegroesMalealea Kgosietsile and Cameroon NOC chief Hamad Kalkaba Malboum in his bid to succeed Lassana Palenfo.The approved list of candidates will be announced on Monday.

In an exclusive interview with Around the Rings, Berraf vowed to unite the continental organization which has been thrown into turmoil by divisions and controversy.

"It requires greater cohesion and greater consultation with all its members," Berraf told ATR.

"We are going to restructure certain parts of the operation of ANOCA and a reform plan is currently being developed by a special commission, led by our Sam Ramsamy."

Berraf called for delegates to trust in his vision to handle the "great challenges to overcome" – including the first Olympic event in Africa, the 2022 Youth Olympics in Senegal.

"Cohesion remains in all functional relationships. I am confident that with the help of everyone, we will succeed in making ANOCA the great organization so much hoped for by our colleagues and members," he said.

Asked how confident he was of defeating his presidential challengers, Berraf said: "It will be up to the members of the general assembly to make their choice.

"We intend to bring everyone together around a common project and an action plan, certainly ambitious but that will meet the expectations of the entire African Olympic movement," he said.

Among his priorities, outlined in his presidential manifesto are developing athletes and sports in Africa, reviving the image of the African sports movement, improving gender equity and a recruitment drive for new sponsorship.

"It will be for us to implement relevant initiatives that will allow African athletes to flourish and that will consolidate the relationships between stakeholders in African sport with their counterparts from other continents.

Berraf will hit the campaign trail hard in the coming week in his bid to shore up support for his presidential push.

He told ATR that his close and long-established links with stakeholders in African sport and its NOCs stand him in good stead to secure the ANOCA hot seat.

"I rely heavily on the spirit of brotherhood and responsibility that drives all of us, having been their colleague for almost 20 years and having participated with them in the development of African sport," he said.

"For many years I was in charge of conflict resolution in Africa, which led me to know more about the workings of our institutions and the aspirations of my colleagues."

He is confident of a fair election: "Our actions will be conducted in a collegial, democratic and transparent manner. And each of us will have the latitude to express themselves and their concerns."

Reported by Mark Bisson

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