Sports year 2012 in review-Local athletes continue huge surge towards reaching world top |31 December 2012

In this review, we will cover almost all disciplines, highlighting the best performances which have taken place across our sport in 2012, proving that Seychellois sportsmen and women didn’t shy away from big expectations.

Lissa Labiche continues huge surge towards reaching world top

After a remarkable 2011 season when Seychelles claimed a record-breaking 57 gold medals in the 12 sporting disciplines – helping the country finish an unprecedented second in the final Indian Ocean Island Games medals’ table behind Reunion with 58 medals of the gold hue – many Seychellois sportsmen and women had certain expectations going into the New Year 2012.

Female high jumper Lissa Labiche is one of them and she continued her huge surge towards reaching the world top in her favourite event.

Invited by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to compete at the XXX Olympic Games in London, England from July 27 to August 12 and qualifying for the final, Labiche was crowned women’s high jump champion of the 18th African Senior Athletics Championships, held in Porto-Novo, Benin after clearing the bar at 1.86m – a then junior and senior Seychelles record – at the Charles de Gaulle stadium on June 30.

She scaled bigger heights at the 14th International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Junior Athletics Championships when she went over 1.88m – a new junior and senior Seychelles record – on the sixth and final day of the championships inside the Montjuic Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain on Sunday July 15 to write a new chapter in the history of Seychelles’ track & field athletics.

In fact, Labiche had started her high jump record-breaking spree at the local athletics garden – Stad Linite – when she won the gold medal and at the same time broke the Seychelles record at 1.85m in the National Championship.

Labiche also bettered her junior long jump best with a leap of 6.28m to win a silver medal at the Southern region junior championship in Namibia. She also won the high jump silver medal at the same championship with a bar of 1.70m. She cleared the same height at the South Africa open championship to take second position.

Labiche’s fellow female athlete Marie-Helen Rose won the shot put gold medal at the Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan Indien (CJSOI) in the Comoros with a best throw of 13.36m.

At the Southern region junior championship in Namibia, she won three silver medals in the shot put (11.75m), javelin (30.81m) and discus (31.45m). She claimed two bronze medals in discus (32.31m) and shot put (12.65m) in the South region youth championship.

Locally, Rose won the discus (32.43m), shot put (11.52m) and javelin 30.90m) in the National Championship, and claimed victory in discus (31.36m) in the National Youth Championship. She was second in the hammer throw with a distance of 23.97m.

Dean William’s best performance for the season has been his shot put gold medal won at the Jeux de la CJSOI in the Comoros with a distance of 16.07m. William also beat the hammer youth record with an impressive effort of 60.40m during the Special Events two competition.

Stephan Souris (silver in male high jump), Surera Charles (silver in female long jump) and Dianne Nioze (bronze in female long jump) and Ian Volcère (bronze in male long jump) were the other Seychellois medallists at the Jeux de la CJSOI in the Comoros.

Back to the Southern region junior championship in Namibia, Nerry Luc registered 7.11 metres in the long jump for a silver medal, while a 13.49-metre performance earned Alvin Kilindo a third-place finish and the bronze medal in the triple jump.

The Seychelles female cadet team of Vanessa Cherry, Estelle Lepathy, Steffanie Underwood and Ezra Almaze won the silver medal at the Southern region cross-country championship in Mauritius. Keddy Moustache won the male junior 8km bronze medal with a time of 28 minutes 28 seconds.

Coach Giovanni Fanny became an IAAF level one lecturer after following a six-day course at Kenya’s athletics regional development centre.

To coincide with the centennial anniversary of the IAAF, the Seychelles Athletics Federation (SAF) rewarded some of the country’s track & field sons and daughters.

The IAAF centennial gold medals were presented to SAF founder John Prosper, and Maurice Camille,  the first ever Seychellois gold medallist at the Indian Ocean island Games – in 1979 in Reunion.

Longest serving official who helped bring local athletics to a higher standard Giovanna Rousseau, longest serving Seychellois coach Joseph Volcy, Danny Beauchamp who reached African standard in the long jump before passing away in November 12, 2010 at the age of 41, Paul Nioze who reached African standard in the triple jump and Lindy Leveaux who reached African standard in the javelin throw were presented with IAAF certificates.

Baldwin voted triathlete of the year 2012

Described as a super talent, Nick Baldwin was voted triathlete of the year 2012 by online triathlon site Beyond Going Long, capping a successful final season as an amateur before he turns professional next year.

“It’s a privilege to be voted triathlete of the year by Beyond Going Long readers,” Baldwin was quoted as saying.

Baldwin’s 2012 palmarès includes winning the 20-24 years age group at the long course in Abu Dhabi; winning the 18-24 years age group at Ironman 70.3 UK; winning the Ironman 70.3 18-24 World Championship title in Las Vegas, USA; winning the amateur category and the 20-24 age group of the Rocky Mountains regional championship race of the Steamboat Springs Olympic distance triathlon in Colorado, USA;  winning the amateur and 20-24 years old categories of the My Way or the Tri Way Sprint Triathlon in Aurora, Colorado, USA; winning the 20-24 age group category and finishing third overall out of 200 competitors in the inaugural Evergreen Sprint Triathlon; winning the 18-24 years age group and 21st overall in the Ironman 70.3 in Wimbleball, Exmoor, Great Britain; claiming silver for the second year running in the 18-24 years age category and finishing in a very impressive 40th overall in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii; and finishing third in the 18-24 age group and 34th overall (including professionals) in the Ironman 70.3 Boulder race in Colorado, USA.

“Winning a World Championship title made all the pain I’ve suffered in training worthwhile and I’ll always remember that achievement,” added Baldwin.

Andrique Allisop and Dominic Dugasse qualify for Olympics

Not only Labiche took part in the Olympic Games as the Seychelles team comprised six athletes, among them boxer Andrique Allisop and judoka Dominic Dugasse who qualified for the biggest summer multi-sports Games.

Gold medallist at last year’s IOIG on home soil with a win over Mauritian 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Bruno Julie, Allisop edged out Kenyan Denis Okoth in the quarterfinal at the African Olympic qualification tournament in Casablanca, Morocco earlier this year to earn his ticket to the Olympics. He narrowly won the lightweight bout 19-18 against Okoth before losing his semifinal fight on points – 8-16 – to Tunisian Ahmed Mejri to earn a bronze medal.

In London, Allisop, 19, lost his first bout to a more experienced opponent – Jai Bhagwan of India – on an 8-18 verdict in the men's lightweight (60kg) category bout of the round of 32 at the ExCeL South arena.

Judoka Dominic Dugasse was, in fact, the first Seychellois athlete to qualify for the London Olympics, qualifying for the Games through continental (African Judo Union) quota after amassing 30 points in the -100kg category.

The Praslin judoka, who was the country’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony, exited the judo competition in London after losing by ippon to a technically more superior opponent, Dutchman Henk Grol who went on to claim a bronze medal like he did in Beijing in 2008.

The other three local athletes who competed in London were male swimmer Shane Mangroo (sixth in the second heat of the 100m freestyle preliminaries with a time of 56.46 seconds), female swimmer Aurelie Fanchette (eighth in the 200m freestyle preliminaries with a time of 2 minutes 23.49 seconds (2:23.49 for a new personal best) and male sprinter (eighth in the seventh heat of the 200m in a time of 21.99 seconds)

It was President James Michel who handed over the country’s colours to Team Seychelles flag bearer Dominic Dugasse hours prior to the official sending off ceremony.

Football assistant referee Jason Damoo was also at the London Olympics after getting a call-up which he said he expected in some way.

Judoka Dugasse gold medallist in Turin tournament

Back to judo, Dominic Dugasse competed at the Tournoi international de La Réunion (Tirun) where he won a gold medal, the World Cup in Lisbon, Portugal where he was ranked seventh out of 12, African Championship in Morocco where he finished seventh out of 26 in the -100kg class, and the Seychelles International Judo Tournament where he won the gold medal.

Naddy Jeanne was the -73kg silver medallist at the Tournoi international de La Réunion (Tirun).
Female judoka Brigitte Rose won the gold medal in the Baie Ste Anne Praslin open, claimed a gold medal in the Seychelles International Judo Tournament, finished third to win a bronze medal in the -78kg division of the Abu-Dhabi Grand Prix, and took part in the World Cup in Bucharest, Romania.

Amenda Payet was also a bronze medallist in the -78kg category at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Young Neddy Philoé (-60kg) was voted the best male judoka at the Seychelles International Judo Tournament after claiming a gold medal and took a bronze at the Commission de la Jeunesse et Sports de l’Océan Indien (CJSOI) judo tournament in Mauritius.

Caroline Philoé was the -52kg gold medallist at the Seychelles International Judo Tournament after claiming a gold medal and claimed a silver as did Nantenaina Finesse (-81kg) at the CJSOI judo tournament in Mauritius.

The other Seychellois bronze medallists in Mauritius were Dominic César (-66kg), Gino Etienne (+81kg), Roge Gabriel (-73kg), Jessy Malbrook (-63kg), Karine Germain (+70kg) and the boys’ and girls’ squads in the team events.

Bronze medal for badminton mixed doubles pair

In badminton, the Seychelles team could only achieve a bronze medal in the mixed doubles event at the African Badminton Championship in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from February 22-28. The bronze medal came courtesy of Sportswoman of the Year Alisen Camille who teamed up with Georgie Cupidon, who was the runner-up to Sportsman of the Year Allan Julie.

The competition served as preliminaries of the Thomas and Uber Cup whose finals were played in China in May.

Meanwhile, Kervin Ghislain reached the men’s singles final of the second tournoi international de La Réunion but lost to former French international Julien Fuchs to claim a silver medal.

The women’s doubles pair of Alisen Camille and Juliette Ah-Wan also made the final but lost to finish with a silver medal.

The team’s two bronze medals were won by the mixed doubles duo of Kervin Ghislain and Juliette Ah-Wan, and Alisen Camille in the ladies’ singles.

At the Yonex Mauritius Internationals competition in June, Seychelles harvested six medals – two gold, one silver and three bronze.

Seychelles’ gold medals came courtesy of Cynthia Course and Alisen Camille in the women’s doubles and Georgie Cupidon and Course in the mixed doubles.

In the women’s doubles, Course and Camille won their final against Shama Aboobakar and Shaama Sandooyea of Mauritius, while in the mixed doubles, Cupidon and Course defeated Kiran Babooball and Shama Aboobakar, also of Mauritius in the mixed doubles final.

Seychelles’ only silver medal was won by Course in the women’s singles after being defeated by Shama Aboobakar in the final.

The three bronze medals came from Kervin Ghislain who lost to Kiran Baboolall of Mauritius 1-2  (21-18, 14-21, 19-21) in the men’s singles, Camille who lost to Shama Aboobakar of Mauritius 1-2 (21-18, 1-21, 17-21) in the women’s singles, and the Ghislain and Cupidon duo who lost to Soon Hock Ong and Teik Chai Gan of Malaysia 0-2 (8-21, 14-21) in the men’s doubles.

Stars and Hawks extend domination

2012 has been a really good basketball year for Anse Etoile Stars and PLS Hawks. Female player of the year Jana Malbrook, 17, guided the Stars to a 73-49 win in the women’s Seychelles Basketball Federation (SBF) Cup final against HotShots to complete back-to-back league and cup double, while Neddy ‘Oye’ Fanchette was instrumental in PLS Hawks’ 111-61 victory against MBU Rockers coming off the bench for a clean sweep of all the titles – Curtain-raiser, league and SBF Cup.

Voted in as the first female SBF chairperson, Sheila Ah-kong was up to the challenge as her executive committee organised a number of youth competitions.

Local flex posers returned to the stage this year and Ziad Al Adou Mekdachi was the winner of the Mr Regatta bodybuilding contest while young poser Ricky Larue was invincible in the junior category.

The competition was hosted by charitable organisation Seychelles Round Table as part of activities of the annual Regatta event and was open to all local posers, regardless of their sporting affiliation.

Vijay Patel was the 2011 recipient of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) trophy for sport – Sport and Social Responsibility – and he received the award in February.

After several years of valuable contributions towards local sports, telecommunication company Cable & Wireless was awarded the 2012 IOC trophy for Sport – Sports and Sustainable development.

The company’s chief executive Charles Hammond accepted the annual trophy from Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) president Antonio Gopal during a ceremony at the Cable & Wireless head office at Providence.

In boxing, young fighters Lorenzo Bonne (-49kg) and Kevin Kilindo (-81 kg) won a gold medal apiece while Achille David (-60kg) claimed a silver in the Gala international de boxe in Reunion.

The Seychelles team reached the division three final playoffs of the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup to qualify for the competitive division two playoffs.

Captained by Kaushal Patel, the Seychelles team played eight matches in five days at the Willowmoore Park Ground in South Africa, winning six.

Young talent Edward Pothin, who was part of the African team in the Tour of Sharjah international cycling tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was Seychelles’ best cyclist at the Tour de Maurice.

At the African continental cycling championships in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Pothin got a taste of the level of racing expected of him if the country is to rival with the best. He finished 10th in the under-23 category and 23rd in the elite division in the 31.8km individual time-trial in a time of 46 minutes 23 seconds, and 19th in the under-23 division and 59th in the elite class of the marathon 170km road race in a time of 4 hours 25 minutes 28 seconds.

From cycling we move to karting where the Seychelles Karting Association (SKA) sent two teams to the 12-hour endurance race in Dubai, with team one being ranked 27th overall in the professional class and fifth among nations, while team two finished 30th – 14 laps behind the SKA one team.
 
The SKA team one was captained by David Rene who had as teammates Roland Delcy, Marc Delcy, Peter Fred and Damien Bonnelame. John Simon led the SKA team two and the other drivers on the squad were Dane Decommarmond, Redman Bonnelame, Stephan Simon and Marvin Sophie.

In handball, the country’s under-20 men’s team won the bronze medal of the Africa zone 7 qualifiers, while the ladies’ side lost to Mauritius in the third place playoff encounter.

Anisha Payet thrice gold medallist at Jeux de l’Espoir

At the 4th Jeux de l’Espoir in Mauritius, young local athletes won 15 medals – 5 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze. Female swimmer Anisha Payet won three gold medals in the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke. She also won a bronze medal in the 50m breaststroke as well as the Games’ best female swimmer trophy.

Another female swimmer Clara Omath won the 50m breaststroke gold medal and grabbed two silver in the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly, before settling for third place and the bronze medal in the 50m backstroke.

Female javelin thrower Aicha Cushion won the Seychelles team’s fifth gold medal.
Male swimmer Luke Bonnelame twice finished second in the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly and was placed third in the 50m breaststroke.

Table tennis players Ray Cécile (boys’ singles) and Lana Robert (ladies’ singles) each won a silver medal, while female judoka Caroline Philoé settled for a bronze in the -50kg category.

In karate, Shihan Donald Célestine said the techniques and level of performance in the execution of the kata during the National Karate Championships is a sign of continuous progress and hard work of local instructors.

The year 2012 was one of the best for the Kyokushin karate school with regard to black belt promotions as it recorded two 5th dans (Shihans Phillip Verghese and Francis Françoise), four 2nd dans (Sempais Steven Pouponneau, Lilette Esparon Savy, Luigi Adrienne and Jonathan Sam) and six 1st dan (Joeanne Pragassen, Dr Liban Segura, Neddy Robert, Linda Cui, Paul Gédéon and Adrian Naidoo).

New agreement to boost quality physical education

A better coordinated and monitored school sports system is the key to ensuring that necessary structures are put in place to properly carry out and monitor the delivery of the national school sport programme under the Physical Education and School Sports (PESS) strategy.

This is being jointly carried out by the ministries responsible for sports and education respectively and an agreement was signed by the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Vincent Meriton and the Minister for Education Macsuzy Mondon.

Chaired by Jean Larue, the committee has 12 other members – Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association president Antonio Gopal, physical education and co-curriculum support section director Wilfred Adrien, physical education and co-curriculum support section representatives Ronald Wong, Norbert Dogley and Thomas Dodin, physical education instructor Linda Jeanne, National Sports Council chief executive Alain Volcère, Seychelles Athletics Federation chairman Selby Dora, sports journalist Barbara Hoareau, NSC's director for sports management and development Robert Auguste, basketballer Simone Malbrook and Seychelles Basketball Federation chairperson Sheila Ah-kong.

It has been agreed that there is no other way to ensure that the youth have access to the outstanding benefits offered and promoted by sports than to have the Olympic movement and governments work together as a team.

This was the gist of the message delivered by the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Vincent Meriton to the second World Olympic Sports Convention held in Moscow, Russian Federation. Minister Meriton joined sports ministers from around the world and representatives of the Association of National Olympic Committees (Anoc) at the April 16-17 convention – an initiative of Anoc president Mario Vazquez Rana.

The Moscow convention was preceded by the 18th general assembly of Anoc from April 13-14 with the Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) was represented by its president Antonio Gopal and secretary general  Alain Alcindor.

Allan Julie wins Coupe de La Réunion regatta

Outgoing six-time Sportsman of the Year Allan won the Coupe de La Réunion regatta after finishing first in the Laser Standard’s fleet of six, before finishing fourth out of 56 competitors in the bronze fleet at the World Championships, 41st overall in a fleet of 108 in the Europa Cup series and 11th out of 43 sailors in the Mediterranean Championships off Hyères, France.
 
Like Julie, Rodney Govinden, who dominated the local scene winning all competitions – SYA Laser class, SYA Laser Cup A and SYA Laser Cup B – competed at the World Championships (35th out of 56 in the bronze fleet), Europa Cup series (46th out of 108), Mediterranean Championships off Hyères, France (13th out of 43) and the Coupe de La Réunion regatta (2nd out of six).

Aubrey Sophola put on an excellent performance in the Laser 4.7 class of the Coupe de La Réunion regatta to finish first out 12 sailors and Rodney Govinden’s twin brother Roy Govinden was ranked third in the Laser Radial category.

Alison Hoareau, who competed mostly against boys, had a really fantastic season finishing eight out of 69 contestants at the India international regatta, while in the girl’s category of the same competition, she was ranked third overall, earning a bronze medal. At the African Optimist championships, Hoareau was ranked 54th overall out of 73 sailors. Locally, she defended her title with vigour in the third Eden Island Optimist Cup, finished third overall in the Regatta Optimist class and second out of five in the SYA Cup A Optimist class. In the SYA Cup B, she finished second out of five sailors.

From the open sea we move to the pool where Adam Viktora won five medals – one gold, three silver and a bronze – in the 15 years and above category of the Confédération Africaine de Natation Amateur (Cana) Zone III and IV Swimming Championships at the Zimpeto Olympic Pool in Maputo, Mozambique.

Viktora’s gold medal came in the 800m freestyle, his three silver medals came in the 100m freestyle (56.58 seconds), 400m freestyle (4:21.38) and 200m freestyle (2:03.31), while his bronze medal was won in the 100m butterfly (1:03.38).

Seychelles’ other medallist at the competition was Shane Mangroo who won a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle race with a time of 55.90 seconds.

In table tennis, luck was not on the local players’ side as they could not grab a single gold medal in the zone 7 tournament Seychelles hosted.

Seychellois Christy Bristol and Nicholas Esther lost the team event final to Madagascar to claim the silver medal, while the pair Dario Laurence and Laura Sinon settled for the bronze.

Dario Laurence and Laura Sinon made the mixed doubles final but lost to the Mauritian duo of Wassim and Kaushar, while Christy Bristol was beaten by Malagasy Herana in the ladies’ singles final.

In tennis, young local super star Damien Laporte surpassed all to win the first leg of the African Junior Circuit 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya, beating Mushiba of Burundi 2-0 (6-3, 6-4) in the under 12 years old category final. Laporte then teamed up with Shaun Andriamaro to win the doubles.

The pair were unlucky losers to Nino Castori and Benjamin Tessane of Reunion in the doubles final of the first ITF/CAT grade one circuit tournament played in Petit Camp, Mauritius.

Laporte had Nino Castori as partner in the second ITF/CAT grade one circuit tournament in Mauritius and they won the boys’ doubles final 2-0 (6-2, 6-3) against Mauritians Kenny Ah Chueng and Sebastien Liu.

Laporte was also the singles winner of the Kia Motors Open tournament played at the Roche Caïman courts and was ranked third at the Open des Pirates 2012 in Reunion.

Premium Spikers complete league and cup double hat-trick

In volleyball, Premium Spikers completed a hat-trick of league and cup double and Arsu defied all odds to retain the Seychelles Volleyball Federation (SVF) Cup. Friends retained the women’s league title ahead of Cascade.

Premium Spikers, Beau Vallon and Friends represented Seychelles at the Indian Ocean Club Championship in Madagascar, but not one of them could progress past the group stage. This is probably the first time no Seychelles team featured in the knockout stage of the competition and these poor results will surely go down as some of the disappointments of the season.

For the second time, the Seychelles women’s volleyball team failed to qualify for the Olympic Games and watched Algeria represent the African continent at the London Games.

Missing a number of key players who helped them recapture the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) gold medal last year on home soil, the new-look Seychelles team lost all their three round-robin matches to reigning African champions Kenya 0-3 (15-25, 21-25, 23-25), hosts Algeria 0-3 (6-25, 6-25, 12-25) and Egypt 0-3 (18-25, 8-25, 21-25) to finish last with three points in the final standings of the women’s Olympic qualifying championship disputed by four teams at the Tchaker Blida Hall.

Incomplete team costs Seychelles Olympics spot

In weightlifting, Janet Georges won two gold medals in the snatch event (94kg) and Olympic total (208kg) as well as a silver in the clean & jerked (114kg) in the 69kg category in the African Weightlifting Championship in Kenya which also served as continental qualifiers for the Olympic Games in London.

“It is quite disappointing to see weaker countries qualifying athletes for the Olympic Games just because they had complete teams and accumulated enough points,” Georges told Sports Nation on her return from Kenya.

The country’s young lifters won six medals – four gold and two silver – at a cadet and junior tournament in Reunion. The gold medallists were Young Female Athlete of the Year Rena Agricole in the junior 69kg class (70kg snatch and 80kg clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 150kg), Young Male Athlete of the Year Sirous Farabeau in the junior 85kg division (85kg snatch and 115kg clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 200kg), Rick Bibi in the junior 62kg category (85kg snatch and 107kg clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 192kg) and Derreck Côme in the cadet 77kg division (89kg snatch and 105kg clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 194kg). Côme’s results earned him a silver medal in the junior category, while Romentha Larue claimed the other silver medal in the cadet 53kg class (40kg in snatch and 57kg in clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 97kg).

On another good note, Clementina Agricole made her comeback on the platform during the National Championship in November, finishing with an Olympic total of 140kg – 60kg snatch and 80kg clean & jerk – in the 58kg class. Agricole had been out for just over two years, recovering from a brain tumour.

“I’m happy I’m back competing and I’m raring to go,” Agricole told Sports Nation in an interview.

Three teams win major cups, Chetty replaces Decommarmond as SFF boss

In football, St Michel, who made a clean sweep of all the titles last year, were only able to retain their Barclays league division one title, while Praslin side Côte d’Or beat them 1-0 in the Airtel Cup final. Having also finished third in the league, Côte d’Or’s cup double dream was shattered by La Digue-based Anse Reunion in a 2-3 Land Marine Cup final loss.

Elvis Chetty took over the chairmanship of the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) from Joel Decommarmond who spent nine months in office.

In the race for the chairmanship, Chetty defeated Decommarmond by 18 votes to seven during the sport’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM). Roch Henriette was re-elected vice-chairman as did treasurer Justin Mathiot. The ordinary members are Robert Payet, Georges Bibi, Danny Poiret, Philip Sinon and Jean Larue.

The whole of the executive committee handed in their resignation letter to secretary general Jemmy Adela on November 22, 2012 after club managers and representatives voted during the extraordinary general meeting on Wednesday November 21 for all members to resign after a transfer scandal that rocked the sport locally.

Seychelles hosted the Caf (Confederation of African Football) 8th extraordinary Caf’s general assembly at the Ephelia resort in Port Launay.

President James Michel, Fifa (Fédération internationale de Football Association) president Sepp Blatter and Caf president Issa Hayatou attended the congress during which new amendments to the election laws for the body's presidency were approved.

Remembering those who have died

A good servant of Seychelles’ boxing, Gerald Cosgrow passed away on July 27. Cosgrow served local boxing as chairman and vice-chairman of the Seychelles Amateur Boxing Federation (SABF), and referee.

In fact, he was the first elected chairman of the SABF in 1994 and was elected vice-chairperson in the early 2000s.

As a referee, Cosgrow reached continental level and officiated at the third Indian Ocean Island Games in Madagascar in 1990.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kyokushin karateka, sempai Ryan Vidot 2nd dan black belt, died on Tuesday September 4 following an unfortunate accident at his home. He was a member of the Kyokushin karate school for over 15 years and took part in all events organised by the school, including training camps and tournaments. He even took part in tournaments organised by the Seychelles Karate Federation.

Despite suffering from epilepsy since early childhood, Ryan would always train extremely hard, sometimes up to seven days a week, and was considered among the school’s best knockdown fighters. His most memorable fight was against local champion sensei Flavien Alphonse where sempai Vidot took him to two rounds.

Former Seychelles Cycling Association (SCA) chairman Anthony Jean-Baptiste passed away on Friday November 30 in Mombasa, Kenya.

Mr Anthony was SCA chairman for 12 years, serving six two-year mandates from 1994 to 2006.

Compiled by G. G.