Barreau wins IOC’s ‘sports and community’ trophy |21 February 2007
The trophy was handed over to Barreau by Seychelles National Olympic Committee (Snoc) president Antonio Gopal during a small ceremony on Monday afternoon at the Snoc headquarters, Stad Linite, Roche Caïman in the presence of Snoc vice-president Hughes Adam, secretary general Alain Alcindor and other Snoc executive members.
The prestigious trophy was awarded to Barreau in recognition of his commitment and contribution towards the development and promotion of
Barreau’s 26-year career in the sports field started as a sports officer with the then sports department long before the creation of the NSC in 1982. In 1987, he followed a diploma course in sports administration in Germany. Upon his return to Seychelles, he started getting involved in the administration field, occupying different posts – administration officer, personnel manager, assistant director and most recently director.
In 1988, he joined Snoc and occupied the post of assistant secretary general.
Throughout the years, Barreau has attended many sports related seminars like the Olympic Solidarity meeting in Moscow in November 1988, the seminar for secretary general of National Olympic Committees in Mozambique in 1990 and in Guinea Conakry in 1991, the seminar on sports marketing Olympic in Tanzania in 1992, the seminar on sports facilities management for African countries in China in 2006 and the seminar on construction of sports infrastructures in Munich.
He was the head of the Seychelles delegation for various sporting manifestations such as the CJSOI Games in Mauritius in 1995 and in Madagascar in 2001, the Seventh All-Africa Games in South Africa in 1999 and the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002. At the Eighth All-Africa Games in Nigeria in 2003, he acted as chef de mission.
Mr Barreau thinks that his long years of loyal service and his contribution towards the development of sports in the community have been key factors in getting him the trophy.
It must be noted that the traditional IOC trophy is given to all National Olympic Committees (Noc) across the globe each year and they honour a prominent figure from within their own sporting community.
Individuals or organisations who have played a major role in the development of sports related to the selected topic chosen by the IOC for a specific year are awarded the IOC trophy through their Noc.
The past recipients are Antonio Gopal of the Seychelles National Olympic Committee (International Year of Sports and Olympic Ideals in 1994), Sports Minister Sylvette Pool (Olympic Movement Unity in 1995), Brian Orr of the Seychelles Athletics Federation (Centennial Olympic Games in 1996), Robert Auguste of the National Sports Council (Sports For All in 1997), Sail Training Scheme (Sports Ethics in 1998), John Marie (Sports and Education in 1999), former Seychelles Amateur Boxing Federation chairman Simon Lespoir (Sports and Universality in 2000), Alain Alcindor of the Seychelles Yachting Association (Sports and Volunteer in 2001), sports doctor Kenneth Sherwin (Sports and Well-being in 2002), State Assurance Corporation of Seychelles (Sporting Excellence in 2003, sports journalist Gerard Govinden (Sports and Media in 2004) and Seychelles Football Federation (Sports and Fair Play in 2005) and James Barreau (Sports and the Community in 2006).
R. D.