By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The Sierra Leone Judo Association in collaboration with the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone (NOC-SLE), on 17th December 2022 concluded a week of Olympic Solidarity Judo Technical which started on December 11, at the OlympAfrica Center, Goderich in Freetown.
In his brief statement, the Association’s President, Idrissa Massaquoi explained that they were about to close a week’s training course for the level 1 Olympic Solidarity Technical Judo course and that he was pleased with the training that the expert gave to trainees.
“Twenty (20) people participated in the training and we have few injuries. This year we decided to take a different turn in the Olympic Solidarity course by combining both the coaches and some of our future athletes. I can assure you that these guys are very happy, they’ve received all the necessary logistics that were provided for them and I am sure that some of these guys from the provinces will go home with some smiling faces,” he said.
The Sierra Leone Judo Association honored the expert, Hassene Ikhlef with a sixth (6th) Dan belt in Judo.
Hassene Ikhlef, the course expert who was from France said he’s very happy to be here because now he has new functions in the country, underscoring it’s not his first time to come to Sierra Leone.
“I am the sports adviser in the Kingdom of Bahrain so I thank the Kingdom of Bahrain for allowing me to come here. Thanks, NOC for requesting the International Federation for allowing me to come. This is my fourth time and my first time was in 2011 so I believe I am at home, I hope this will not be the last time.
In his brief statement, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer at the NOC-SLE, Joseph Nyande thanked the expert for training the coaches so that they would be able to take care of the athletes all over the country. “We are very impressed by your performances and what you’ve done here today. I want to thank the participants for going through the technical course. This is important for all presidents of associations to come to the NOC and apply for courses and we’ll be able to go through a little bit so that you all can develop. We are here for the athletes, without the athletes we should not have been here,”.
The CEO congratulated the expert for earning a sixth Dan belt in Judo. He also expressed their gratitude to the Director of Sports, Haroun Korjie for always being there to support the NOC in all their activities.
The newly elected NOC-SLE’s President Prince Vnady Stanley noted that the essence of the Olympic Solidarity courses is to enhance the national association to develop and hope.
He demanded the Judo Association incorporate more women in future courses, noting that they too will co-opt women into the NOC.
“Having your president as the vice President of the NOC gives you a lot of advantages and also it put you in the limelight, you have to be very mindful which means you have to up your game a little bit. It’s an exponential business wherein the expert comes and trains our coaches and our coaches go and train our athletes,” President Stanley stated.
Haroun Korjie, the Director of Sports at the Ministry of Sports thanked the expert for conducting the course, revealing that when the expert arrived, his office was at his first call. “Honestly speaking, when I am invited to such programs that prove to me that everything is not just centered on football alone. I think I must have been here for the past five weeks I have witnessed different sports, that show sports are not only progressing but they are also developing,” he said.
He added: “I am not going to make a policy statement but I going to reassure Judo that the Ministry of Sports will always support you because we can see that you are progressing. You can develop and that’s what we want to see, we want to see different sports developing.