RNOC to spend $311M in four-year plan

Rwanda National Olympic Committee (Rnoc) has budgeted $311 millions (approx. Frw180.4 billion) to be spent on several programs for the next four years, 2009-2012. The whopping budget was confirmed by the local Olympic Committee general assembly held last weekend at hotel Novotel. The estimated budget was divided to be spent on four different programs aimed at sports development in the country for the next four years. According to the budget, $122 millions will be spent on continental programs which include African programmes and competitions to be decided by the Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (Anoca). Olympic Games subsidies and regional forums have been budgeted to cost $42 million while $13 million will be spent on Administration and Communication respectively. $134 millions have been planned to be spent on world programmes. This program will involve offering scholarships to athletes to prepare for Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and London 2012 Olympic Games, preparation of athletes who will participate in the 2010 Olympic Youth Games in Singapore as well as preparation of athletes for continental and regional competitions. Coaches are set to benefit from this program as they will be offered technical courses and Olympic scholarships to improve on their coaching skills as well as development of a national sports structure. The source of this money will include the Olympic Solidarity among others but also individual federations were called upon to find their own source of income to supplement what they get from RNOC. Meanwhile, the general assembly approved that 2/3 of the Olympic Sport federations plus any others among the non-Olympic sports and all affiliate federations must acquire the legal statutes to enable the local Olympic body hold polls. Only three federations, Karate, Chess and RDMS (Sport Medicale) out of 25 member federations which make up Rnoc have acquired legal statutes. The Olympic sports are tennis, football, volleyball, basketball, athletics, swimming, cycling, badminton, boxing, handball, table tennis and wrestling. Some of the non-Olympic sports federations in Rwanda are golf, rugby, cricket, chess and karate while affiliates include Sport Medicale and Ascoki. Ends

Lifestyle

RNOC to spend $311M in four-year plan