The Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Emile Zerbo, sponsored the closing ceremony of the first edition of the Grand Meeting of Traditional Sports, Saturday October 11, 2025, in Dédougou.
The curtains fell on the first edition of the Grand Meeting of Traditional Sports (GMST), launched in Dédougou, Thursday October 9, 2025. This activity, which will have put traditional wrestling and archery in the spotlight for 72 hours in the city of Bankuy, was closed by the Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Emile Zerbo, this Saturday October 11, 2025.
In this trip to the Bankui region, he led a ministerial delegation composed of the Minister responsible for Sports, Roland Somda and that of the Department of Urban Planning and Housing, Mikaïlou Sidibé. Initiated by the National Fund for the Promotion of Sport and Leisure (FNPSL), this first meeting of traditional sports saw the participation of several wrestlers and archers from different regions of the country. It should be noted the participation of a team of Nigerian wrestlers in this GMST.
At the end of three days of heated tussles in wrestling and rivalry of skill in archery, the results were made public. Burkinabè wrestler Kévin Mossé is now the king of the arenas after triumphing over his challenger Drissa Zon in the over 76 kg category and in the men’s national open. He pocketed the sum of one million CFA francs, a gold medal, a motorcycle and a tiller. In women’s open, Rihanata Diallo is crowned queen. She officially received 300 thousand CFA francs, a golden medal, a tiller and a motorcycle. As for the open Alliance of Sahel States (AES) competition, the Niger team won the trophy to the detriment of Burkinabè.
The Malian wrestlers, who were announced, were unable to travel for this first meeting. The winning team was rewarded with 1 million CFA francs and a trophy. In archery, it was the 14-year-old, Gningâté Kambiré, who stole the spotlight in his category and in open archery. As a reward, he received two motorcycles, an amount of more than 500 thousand CFA francs and a trophy. Very enthusiastic, Kévin Mossé confided that he prepared well for his participation in this major competition. According to him, he never doubted his victory, even if he admitted that his opponent is more experienced and technical. The general director of the FNPSL, Commander Karim Souabo, declared that this first GMST made it possible to measure a real enthusiasm for these traditional sports among the population.
This is why he promised to work in tandem with all stakeholders to develop traditional wrestling and archery through the training of supervisors. For the sponsors, represented by the general director of the Banque agricole du Faso, Mahamadi Zoromé, this initiative of the ministry in charge of sports through the FNPSL aims to bring these two traditional sporting activities out of the vegetative state in which they have long been abandoned. The boss of the first edition of the GMST, Emile Zerbo, stressed that this activity contributes to the promotion of Burkinabè traditions and customs. Because, “traditional wrestling and archery embody age-old values, those of courage, respect, fraternity and surpassing oneself,” he proclaimed.
He congratulated the FNPSL, which works to promote endogenous sports, “disciplines reflecting the soul of our people”. Mr. Zerbo affirmed that these traditional sports must be modernized and institutionalized in order to guarantee their sustainability. This is why he praised the synergy of actions which enabled this first edition to see the light of day. He concluded by expressing the government’s recognition of the efforts aimed at integrating traditional sports into the dynamic of professionalization and sustainable development.
Yacouba Belem
