HABIB SISSOKO PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL OLYMPIC AND SPORTING COMMITTEE: A monument of Malian sport

In the life of a nation, there are executives who devote their whole life to national construction. Self-interest is not in their business, they are called, the patriots. The patron of the Olympic movement in our country is part of this inner circle in our country.

Very constant in everything he does, Habib Sissoko told us more than 20 years ago in his office at the Mamadou Konaté stadium “As long as there is stability in our sport, we will not go anywhere. “. A sling was raised at the time against the office of the Malian football federation led by Tidiani Median Niambélé. More than 20 years later, President Habib Sissoko remains in the same position, stability is the basis for the development of sport.

When he arrived at the head of the Olympic movement, he made sure that the texts were coherent, that is to say, one can never again be president of a federation and occupy the chair of the National and Olympic Committee. He left himself then, at the head of the Malian Judo Federation which he contributed to the emergence. As soon as he took office, Habib Sissoko set himself the task of providing dignified accommodation for the committee which occupied premises below his rank. The offices of the Olympic Committee have therefore gone from 3 three rooms (president, administrative secretary and general treasurer) to the current headquarters. The battle for the acquisition of this seat was tough for the boss of the CNOS but who does not abdicate, the CNOS finally had a seat worthy of the name, representative of the National Olympic and Sports Committee. The next step for the now ex-president of the national judo federation was to have the Mali national football team participate in the Olympic Games for the first time. The bet is won, with a very good preparation, our national team represented Mali with dignity with key players like Momo Sissoko and ranked 5^th. After football, Habib Sissoko turned to the ball in the basket. He will also ensure that basketball is present in 2008 with an honorable participation with Hamane Niang as president of the FMBB.

If the Olympic Solidarity program had always been carried out in Mali, it is under Habib Sissoko that there was more transparency and profit in its execution with some key projects including training and assistance to federations in lack of means. The brand new President of the National Olympic and Sports Committee was aware that the federations had to be helped with the lack of sponsors. It was therefore necessary to resort to Olympic Solidarity but with the greatest transparency which has always been its watchword. From 2000 to 2004, there were 20 projects executed out of 21. Only miscellaneous games were executed. What a commitment from Habib Sissoko and his team! The only objective was the development of Malian sport in all its components. During all this time, the statutes of Mali were not recognized by the IOC. The Habib Sissoko team during its second mandate, worked for this and our status has been recognized by the IOC for the well-being of our Olympic movement. The results are palpable to such an extent that jealous people are emerging in neighboring countries and even in Central and Southern Africa.

Habib Sissoko since his arrival at the head of the National Olympic and Sports Committee has always personally invested in putting out the hotbeds of tension in the various federations. He made it his priority. You can never serve five terms at the head of a structure when you are not transparent, when you are not honest and open. Habib Sissoko is a unifier who gave everything for Malian sport, who did without bonuses and other benefits of his work to put himself in the exclusive services of Malian sport. Isn’t this a patriotic act? This is why when he wished not to run for another mandate last year at the Elective General Assembly, the national federations saw right, the hole that this departure was going to create in our sport, the vacuum that it was going to create. create. He was therefore begged by all the federations to serve another term. Because of his dedication and unwavering commitment, the Malian and even international sports world strongly fear the aftermath of Habib Sissoko. This is why many observers wonder if the boss of the Olympic movement is preparing someone for his succession so that Malian sport does not take a leap into the unknown after the end of his mandate. But we remain confident that Habib Sissoko will never leave Malian sport orphaned even if he has to surpass himself and serve one more term because we are sure that he will not wish to see our sport in agony after his departure. In any case, Habib is a monument of Malian sport and he deserves consideration and respect from all nationally and internationally. These detractors must know that the entire Malian people are and always will be with this worthy son who is the pride of an entire country.

Bakara Diallo

Source: The Analyst