Mauritian judo, a very impressive discipline, has encountered many difficulties in the past. Currently, it takes on another dimension, with the integration of the judo athlete, Mr. Winsley Gangaya, at the Pôle Espoir in Rouen, France.
This announcement was made by the Minister for the Emancipation of Youth, Sports and Recreation, Mr. Stephan Toussaint, during a press conference on Monday morning at the headquarters of his ministry, at Citadelle Mall, in Port Louis. The president of Horizon Paris 2024, Mr. Dominique Filleul, the president of the Mauritius Judo Federation, Mr. Josian Valère, and other senior sports officials were present.
The Minister recalled that Horizon Paris 2024 is a preparation program set up by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Leisure, in collaboration with the Trust Fund for Excellence in Sports (TFES). The goal, he said, is to identify potential athletes for their participation in the 2024 Olympics scheduled for July 26 to August 11 in Paris, France.
In addition, Mr. Toussaint pointed out that the program helps the ministry in several ways, including preparing athletes for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and the results are seen through the progress of athletes who are supported by Horizon. Paris 2024. This project, he added, will not only be useful for the Paris Olympics, but also for other upcoming sports competitions, such as the Indian Ocean Islands Games and the Commonwealth Games. , among others.
For his part, Mr. Filleul stressed that the Horizon Paris 2024 team had been working on this initiative for a few months, adding that immense progress had been made with the acceptance of Mr. Gangaya at the Pôle Espoir in Rouen.
As such, he informed that the athlete will reside there for a period of one year, with full board, and will benefit from medical monitoring and regular treatment for an amount of 6,000 euros per year. The athlete will also receive a monthly allowance of Rs 20,000 for his additional expenses on behalf of Horizon Paris 2024, added Mr. Filleul.
In addition, he praised the contribution of the sponsors, the TFES and the former national technical director of the Mauritius Judo Federation, who have contributed to the possibility of integrating young athletes into this efficient structure.
As for Mr. Valère, he stressed that the role of the Federation is not only to expect athletes to win medals and obtain results, but also to provide the necessary guidance and support so that athletes succeed in a good environment. In this context, he reiterated the commitment of the Federation and other relevant stakeholders to find ways to support athletes physically and psychologically, as they did for the 2019 Indian Ocean Islands Games, which were found to be positive.
About Horizon Paris 2024
The project aims to provide appropriate support, notably to the tune of Rs 1 million per athlete per year, in terms of transport, accommodation and other preparatory needs to potential athletes and will be financed by sponsors.
The Horizon Paris 2024 project, steered by a committee created under the aegis of the TFES, is chaired by Mr. Dominique Filleul, a retired French professional handball player, and includes a dozen representatives from several fields, namely management, marketing and finance, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Recreation and various national sports federations.
