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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE Olympic Games will be the focal point when the executive board of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa meet in Victoria Falls for the next two days. The Games will be held from August 5 to 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The meeting starts tomorrow and ends on Friday with the Anoca executive board members, presidents of the seven Zones under Anoca, athletes’ commission and other invited guests expected to attend.

Anoca secretary-general Tommy Sithole said with less than 100 days to go before the Games begin, they are going to look at the preparedness of African countries, availability of resources and application.

“Normally it’s just an executive board meeting, but the significance of this is we have the Olympics in less than 100 days. “The focus is on the Olympic Games in Rio, what resources have been made available, application of those resources, look at the African countries if they have been preparing enough, what is to be done on this time left technically and administratively?

“We are looking at Africa’s visibility at this world showcase. Visibility is about African exhibition, African House, the administration of Africa House, administration of Anoca itself looking at the constitution and also other activities of Anoca taking place not only at the Games.

“We have quite a long agenda.The presidents of the seven zones are going to be there. The Athletes Commission will present the preparedness of Africa (for the Olympic Games), the needs and the concerns,” said Sithole.

He said Anoca has made available almost $800 000 to go towards the final training of potential medallists for Africa and they are hoping the continent will improve on the number of medals they will win at the Games.

“Anoca has availed money for the final training for potential medallist of Africa. So Anoca is not just talking. “In the past Africa has always hovered around the 35-medal mark, we are hoping we will improve on that,” said Sithole.

The meeting will also see Anoca and World Anti-doping director-general, David Howman meet for the first time to discuss issues to do with anti-doping.

“Another critical point, for the first time director-general for World Anti-Doping Agency, David Howman and the regional director, who is based in Cape Town, are coming for this meeting. Africa has decided to tackle this matter upfront.

“This is the first time the director-general of WADA, based in Montreal, Canada, is attending a meeting of Anoca to discuss issues to do with anti-doping

“Anoca for the first time will sit with the WADA director-general to discuss potentially serious issues. “We are not just looking at the short-term solutions, but we are looking at long-term solutions, we are looking at permanent solutions and permanent approach to all the problems.

“But we also want to build on the success that we have had. The issue of ant-doping, it’s not really an extreme situation in Africa, it’s something we have been talking about and we are happy something is being done. “But what we want is to approach it on a systematic way in the long term,” said Sithole.

The meeting will be chaired by Anoca first vice president, Mustafa Berraf from Algeria.

It will be opened by the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Makhosini Hlongwane, tomorrow.