ISF in Madagascar

In the framework of the referee training project funded by the School Sport Foundation, last week an ISF delegation visited Madagascar. Beside the supervision over the project kick-off, the ISF conducted a training of the staff of the local school sport Federation (Fédération Omnisport Scolaire de Madagascar, FOSM) and met representatives of the ministries that are in charge of national school sport.

The training of the local officials was divided into two parts: on the one hand, a Q&A session on the ISF structure and the participation to and organisation of ISF events. The discussion clarified doubts of the FOSM staff related to the ISF technical commissions, health advisory board and participation criteria for World Schools Championships and Gymnasiade. Notably, this brought to the definition of a series of objectives concerning ISF competitions taking place in 2018: the FOSM will, in fact, engage in planning the participation of Madagascar in the 2018 Cross-Country WSC in Paris (April 2-7, 2018), France and to the Gymnasiade in Morocco (May 15-22, 2018); “participation in team sport competitions, such as handball and 3×3 basketball will also be taken into consideration”, affirmed Njaka Rasoloarison, FOSM President. Moreover, in accordance with the ISF Vision of a more worldwide school sport, the possibility of Madagascar hosting a WSC (pétanque) under the aegis of the ISF was discussed.
On the other hand, local staff was trained on questions related to the day-to-day management of a school sport federation: in particular, issues such as transparency, good governance and internal and external communication were discussed.

Furthermore, the ISF delegation visited the Ministry of Technical and Vocational Education and the Ministry of Youth and Sport and was received by the respective Secretary Generals, Dr. Solay Rakotonirainy and Mr. Lovatiako Ralaivao. Both SGs demonstrated a thorough interest in the development of school sport in Madagascar and, in this occasion, engaged in entering into further discussions with the FOSM in order to provide it with more resources. In particular, Mr. Ralaivao, Secretary General for Youth and Sport, made his intention clear to meet in the next two weeks with the FOSM officials and to further exchange with the ISF representatives in order to reserve a part of the ministerial budget for school sport before March 31, 2017.