TUESDAY, 3.00PM:
THE National Olympic Committee of South Africa says it will be playing an important part in the Commonwealth Heads of Government conference, which starts in Edinburgh on Thursday.
Nocsa President Sam Ramsamy is a member of the advisory Committee on Co-operation through Sport, which which is a think-tank of the Commonwealth Heads of Government secretariat. The committee drafts papers and convenes seminars on sport development in member countries.
Ramsamy said on Tuesday the theme of the conference is “building a nation through sport”, which is most appropriate for South Africa. “Sport is a critical factor in the transformation process in South Africa and the conference will be a good barometer of our progress in this regard,” he said.
Speaking in Johannesburg, Nocsa secretary-general Dan Moyo said the Commonwealth heads of government secretariat is placing increased emphasis on sport. Last year, in Zimbabwe, the committee discussed plans for recruiting volunteers from the richer Commonwealth members to undertake training in the countries with fewer resources.
This year, Moyo says, the focus will be on assisting the youth, and on looking at the increasing role of women in sport.
President Mandela will also be attending the three-day conference.