Unregistered federations delay RNOC elections

A delay by several local sports bodies in legalizing their status has made the local Olympics committee to keep away from electing new office bearers, months after the term of office for the Ignace Beraho led administration expired, and several local sports are still chasing the necessary paper work to legalize their existence, Times Sport has learnt.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009
You leave me with no options: Joseph Habineza.

A delay by several local sports bodies in legalizing their status has made the local Olympics committee to keep away from electing new office bearers, months after the term of office for the Ignace Beraho led administration expired, and several local sports are still chasing the necessary paper work to legalize their existence, Times Sport has learnt.

Of all the 25 affiliate member federations of the National Olympics Committee only Chess and Karate federations are registered and are free to operate.

According to the directive that had been given by Sports Minister Joseph Habineza, all federations had until January 1, 2009 to have attained a legal status.

Initially, the elections had been scheduled for March this year but could not be possible due to the fact that almost all local sports federations have yet to legalize their existence.

The incumbent RNOC president Ignace Beraho who the delay in electing new office bearer works in his favor has castigated the federations for delaying the elections. 

"How can you come up and present yourself to be elected as NOC president when you even don’t know what you’re standing for, what you’re representing or even what you want,” Beraho said last year.

No specific date has been set for the Rnoc elections, but sources have hinted that the exercise could be held mid this year.

Beraho has confirmed that he’s not to seeking a reelection after eight unfruitful years at the helm of the sports body.

Though the veteran administrator is not standing for re-election, he has hinted that he will stay in the Rwandan Olympics movement in some capacity.

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