THE five local sport officers who successfully completed the three-day directors' course organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are now better prepared to improve their service delivery and efficiency.

The short course, which was officially launched last week by Mrs Muriel Hofer of the IOC ended last Friday and the five participants - Paul Nioze, Paule Domingue, Frank Marengo, Arthur Agathine and Joselin Humphrey - received their certificates during a small ceremony which took place on the same day at Stad Linite's conference room.

It was Mr Antonio Gopal, president of the Seychelles National Olympic Committee (SNOC) who presented the certificates in the presence of SNOC's secretary general Robert Auguste and Alain Alcindor, director of the National Olympic Academy of Seychelles (NOAS).

During the three days the participants followed both theoretical and practical sessions and at the end of the course they had to do a written exam.

Course facilitator Mrs Hofer urged the participants to put into practise what they had learned during the three "wonderful days" they spent together so that they could deliver a better and more efficient service in their field of work.

She added that it was a pleasure for her to take some time off her busy schedule to come to "our beautiful country" and share some of her knowledge with the participants.

To show their appreciation the participants presented Mrs Hofer with a book entitled Journey through Seychelles.

Mrs Hofer, it is to be noted, was replacing Dr Nicos Kartakoullis of Cyprus who was unable to make the trip to Seychelles because of health problems.