Gov’t to bail out London Games bound athletes

THE president of the National Olympic and Sport Committee (CNOSR) has confirmed that the government will provide monetary support to federations to help them prepare athletes for next year’s London Olympics Games. Dr. Charles Rudakubana said, “The Ministry of Sports and Culture (Minispoc) is committed to funding federations so that they prepare athletes for next year’s Olympics.” “We are working out on the budget for the Games which will be presented to the Ministry and thereafter preparations will kick off,” added Rudakubana. For federations (basketball and cycling) that still have debts stemming from staging international competitions international, Rudakubana revealed that the ministry was aware and looking into the issue. “The Ministry is aware and looking at ways of clearing the debts,” he added.Rwanda is expected to field her biggest contingent in an international competition this September. About 140 athletes are expected to grace the 10th All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique. The country will compete in eleven disciplines ranging from basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, athletics, boxing, lawn tennis, and table tennis, karate, swimming and cycling among others. In the last edition held in Algiers in 2007, Dieudonne Disi came closest to the podium after a fourth spot finish in the half marathon.The Games will be a platform for next year’s Olympics. This time round, Rwanda’s target is to field more athletes than in 2008 when the country fielded four athletes. Ends