Lépère, assistant director for sports promotion

Arnephy, NSC's managing director

Mathiot, director for sports programme in the NSC

TO keep abreast of the rapid development in Seychelles sports, the sports department within the Ministry of Local Government, Sports and Culture (MLGSC) has been re-structured to meet different targets.

Already, the department has launched its four-year Sports Strategic Plan and National Sports Policy which is based on a long-term vision to be achieved through more immediate actions.

When launching the documents, Patrick Nanty, principal secretary for Sports and Culture with the MLGSC, said that the sports department had been re-structured to cater for new changes and respond to federations' and athletes' needs.

Sports Nation met PS Nanty earlier this week to know more about the changes happening in the sports department.

Training and capacity development

A new division – sports training and capacity development – headed by director general Ronald Wong has been created to oversee the development of human resources, something PS Nanty has described as "very important in the progress of Seychelles sports."

"The aim of the division is to make sure that people involved in the running of sports here, be they coaches or administrators, have the necessary knowledge to discharge their responsibilities to the full. In line with this, we are to launch our coaches' accreditation scheme later this year. There is also the possibility of local coaches going on exchange working programmes in other countries

"Young Seychellois are to be encouraged to take up coaching, sports management or sports medicine. The sports training centre at Roche Caïman also falls under the responsibility of the new division," said PS Nanty.

Planning and policy development

The sports planning and policy development division is still under the responsibility of director general Jean Larue.

Jennifer Lépère, being held against the post of assistant director for sports promotion – a position previously occupied by Giovanna Rousseau – will be responsible for the promotion of Seychelles sports through the publication of a monthly magazine called Sportsnet and the collection of data so that people can get any kind of information at any time.

Giovanna Rousseau is now the director of the high level division, previously under the responsibility of director general Wong.

High level sports division

As of this year, the high level sports division, which had been under the umbrella of the sports department since 2001, has moved back to the National Sports Council (NSC).

The reason for the move, according to PS Nanty, is to "have a better coordinated effort as the sports for all, youth sports, medical and sports federation/association management units, with which the high level division works in close collaboration, fall under the NSC."

Asked if the sports department was happy with the work done by the high level division over the past years, PS Nanty replied:

"I believe the department has succeeded in giving the high level division the status it deserves since the department first transferred the division to the ministry's head office at Oceangate House in 2001. People are better informed about high level sports in Seychelles now. But the main problem was a lack of coordination due to distance as the division's other partners were based at the NSC, Roche Caïman. We have felt then that it is best that the division moves back to the NSC to facilitate the implementation of its different programmes. We are never totally satisfied with what has been done as we believe that we can do a lot of things and in a much better way."

PS Nanty added that some individuals have already been earmarked to fill in two posts – assistant director for scientific and technical services and assistant director for performance lifestyle – within the high level division.

The assistant director for scientific and technical services will be responsible for talent identification, youth development, scientific and medical support as well as coaching.

As for the assistant director for performance lifestyle, his/her responsibilities will include the welfare of athletes, shaping up their careers as sportsmen/women and after, marketing and sponsorship as well as follow the education of athletes.

High level division director Rousseau will liaise directly with NSC's managing director Eric Arnephy.

It is to note that with the re-organisation of the high level division since the start of the year, athletes had stopped receiving allowance because the list of sportsmen and women falling in the different levels of the scheme was being revised.

According to PS Nanty "payment of allowance will resume soon as the new revised list is almost complete."

National Sports Council

Not only has the sports department been re-structured. Changes are also expected gradually within the NSC.

PS Nanty explained that sports officers, who had in the past been involved in doing almost everything concerned with the sporting federations/associations they had been working with, were being encouraged to specialise.

"We have decided instead that sports officers, who have the right qualification and ability, should be doing a more technical job. According to training they've received, especially coaching qualification, their interests in sports, some sports officers could become development officers to implement development programmes of federations and associations they work with.

"With more specialised training run in conjunction with different international sports bodies, those development officers could in future become technical directors in their field of specialisation," noted PS Nanty.

Director for sports programme within the NSC, Ulric Mathiot, who oversees the running of the sports for all, youth sports, medical, and sports federation/association management units, is also responsible for the implementation of the new programme involving the formation of development officers.

It is worth noting that some Seychellois coaches are expected to leave for France during the course of the year to follow short courses.

G. G.