11es Jeux des Iles de l’Océan Indien |04 September 2023
Vox pop : Les réflexions du peuple
Dans un festival de compétitions acharnées et d'exploits sportifs, les Jeux des îles de l'Océan Indien ont suscité une multitude d'émotions chez les athlètes, les supporters et les citoyens.
Nous avons recueilli les impressions de quelques personnes qui ont suivi de près cet événement mémorable.
Norlis Hoareau :
«Pandan ki rido i bese lo onzyenm edisyon Zwe de Zil Losean Endyen, mon zet en koudey lo tablo meday depi premye edisyon an 1979 ziska onzyenm edisyon an 2023. Nou bezwen, si nou anvi avanse dan spor, aret en kou, zwenn ansanm e relir listwar spor dan pei, e poz nou lekor kestyon, kwa ki nou anvi gannyen? Ki bann mwayen nou bezwen pran? Tou sa san blanm ni gouvernman, ni atlet, me kot sakenn i pran son responsabilite e rekonnet kote nou’n fer fot. Pran en desizyon pour nou avanse e pour nou ganny plis. Mon fransman krwar in plis ki ler pour nou annan en lakademi spor pour nou enkilke dan nou zenn disiplin, devosyon, patriotizm e devwar anver pei. Mon swete ki nou bann atlet i met zot toudswit dan zot bann lantrennman pour douzyenm edisyon dan 4-an. Bonn sans e bon kouraz.»
Anita Gardner:
“The IOIG has included deaf athletes in the games but it is not accessible! The organising countries should involve deaf sports organisations when organising such event and each country individually should also involve the deaf sports organisation. Deaf sports should be managed by deaf experts, not persons chosen at random to manage or give technical advice at any events where deaf people are concerned. The IOIG is not accessible because sign language is not available. Personnel and officials have no knowledge about deaf sports and rules.
“Deaf athletes who won gold medals also did not enjoy TV interviews like the hearing athletes! Announcements were not available in sign language! The Comoros has the responsibility to organise the next Indian Ocean Islands Games and we hope that they will put the services for deaf athletes in place. The Deaf Sports Association has just decided that if there are no services in place for deaf athletes, it will not participate in future events. Seychelles deaf sports will lobby other countries to follow suit. We are all for inclusion! We wish to thank everyone who supported us.”
Emma Furneau:
[An relasyon avek final volibol fanm Sesel kont Madagascar yer] «Ekout en kou! Be ti terib sa, mon ti’n ariv anba lili ler bann la i pran katriyenm set. Mon leker ti pe anvole, mon latet ti annan en pti nanryen fer avek en pti marto ladan. Ler ti ariv senkyenm set mon sorti anba lili. Pran panadol fer sa pti boug ek son marto evakye: fit for duty!
«Weleleeeeeeee! Zot pa pou pran sa tit avek lekip fanm Sesel volibol. You will ‘pike’ but you won't ‘anbarke’! Mon kontan nou’n retenir nou tit pour volibol pour bann madanm pour en trazyenm fwa. Mon ti a voudre pour bann zonm osi ti ava parey. Me sa pa’n leka alors sa i montre ki i annan en defayans.
«An zeneral, mon vwar ki in mank bokou motivasyon dan bann atlet e mon pe mazinen ki sa i lakoz mank preparasyon e osi petet mank enpe leksperyans.
«Pour fini mon remersye tou bann atlet ki’n reprezant Sesel. Big up to you all.”
Pierette Confiance:
«Onzyenm Zwe de Zil i enn ki mon’n vwar Sesel in ekspoz zenn, ki byen. Lo kote bann spor endividyel pour bann ki’n deza partisip dan en tel zwe sirman menm si fizikman zot pa’n ase prepare e menm ganny ekspoze enternasyonalman pour ogmant zot nivo, moralman, sikolozikman zot in kapab sirmont zot adverser. Me serten zot pa ti pe konsantre e pa ti montre sa lanvi gannyen. I enpe parey par lekip: atlet devret ini pli ansanm, e sa i anmenn mwan lo sa pwen kot en atlet ki’n deside vin en atlet o nivo, i fer en kantite sakrifis me lotorite konsernen kot eski i vreman zwenn sa atlet? Wi problenm finansyel i egziste, me nou bezwen envestir pour ganny rezilta. Sa atlet i vin konman zanfan sa pei e i anmenn paviyon Sesel. Kan rezilta i bon nou tou nou aplodi, kan i fer en fot, nou kritike.
«La ki sa enn zwe in terminen mon ti pou byen apresye en post-mortem fran, pour vreman vwar kot nou anvi ale ankor dan kat-an. Serten lekip i kapab kontinyen travay pour progre, entegre zonm e fanm eksperyanse, akoz fodre aksepte ki i annan serten spor ariv serten laz ou bezwen fer li lwazir. An tou ka…mon pou kontinyen donn mon sipor tou atlet Seselwa.»
Darrel Uranie:
“I think this country has an institutional problem. Our ministries and departments, the policy analysts and their policies, and in this case, the ministry responsible for sports and the National Sports Council (NSC) are not operating on informed decisions and gathering data information to have tools to understand the landscape in place. They don’t do surveys, monitor the number of upcoming youths with prospects, where they are at, and what are their ambitions in comparisons to outgoing and retiring athletes. Example, the ministry for sports should have had an idea of the performance of Seychelles at this Games even before the first flight of athletes left Seychelles for Madagascar. The athletes themselves should have an end goal and work towards it. In summary, for me, it all comes down to failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
“At least now we have an idea of where we stand in the region in regards to sports. The volleyball result is good, it brings us some pride. But even with the women’s volleyball you can visually see some issues. If this is the same team who won in the past two or three games, what about the future, is the next generation being groomed?”
Sharon Orphée:
“The Jeux de îles de l’Océan Indien are the games that I look forward to every four years. I rally behind the Seychelles team and cheer them on from day one till the very last day. Regardless if they win or lose, I show my sportsmanship. This time round the games were amazing with lots of surprising results from all competing countries. There were some instances of unfairness towards our athletes which cost them their medals. However, I feel that we need to invest more in our sports from here on out, if we really want the title for best country for the Jeux de îles de l’Océan Indien.
“It is evident that athletes from the other islands have been training for years and proof is there in the number of medals they have won and the level of techniques and discipline from the teams. We need to educate and invest in sports here in Seychelles. Let’s value our athletes not only for the games but for any other competitions henceforth. Scout for younger talents by having more school competitions, club competitions and even international competitions. Use our professional or retired athletes to coach our teams regardless if it’s individual or group sports. The Seychelles teams need to start preparing for the next games as soon as possible if we want to be amongst the best. Bravo to the Seychelles team who gave their upmost best for this year's games, keeping the Seychellois people back home on their toes.”
Minister Billy Rangasamy and wife Erica
“The games were fun and a chance to unite our Indian Ocean nations. It was also a chance for Seychelles to assess where we are sports wise as a very small nation. We have been able to appreciate our capacity as a small country post Covid.
“How do we move next as a country? United as one nation, we must focus on sports as a powerful tool to bring us together; Focus on our youth through exciting programmes at schools to develop a strong healthier and more competitive team ready for next Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) and this must start now. Our present IOIG athletes must be encouraged to share their experiences as ambassadors and draw new younger Seychellois athletes. They must be role models to inspire our next IOIG team. Pitch our training to new heights ie seek help from friends who are competing internationally at high levels example Kenya through bilateral exchanges and programmes. At district level, and all corners of our islands, we must put facilities and training incentives to drive our youths from social ills to sports. Perhaps use our funds wisely to focus on more individual sports and our strong disciplines; and every home must have one sportsman/sportswoman as a minimum must be our motto and drive.”
Compiled by Vidya Gappy