Volleyball: “Our main challenge is to work to provide for the next generation”, Casimir Sawadogo, President of the Burkinabe Volleyball Federation
Despite the lack of financial opportunities and insufficient sports infrastructure, the Burkinabe volleyball federation is more ambitious for this 2023 sports season. Casimir Sawadogo, interviewed by Lefaso.net newspaper, the first official concern of the federation for the next generation and works for the impact of Burkinabe volleyball on the international scale. . In the exchanges, he reviewed the results for 2022 and dismissed various challenges presented to his structure for 2023.
The President of the Burkinabè Volleyball Federation first logically conveyed his wishes to Burkinabè and especially to the sports world. “At the beginning of 2023, I want to offer my wishes for peace, health and general happiness to all the people of Burkina Faso. We have been in an unjust war for some time and I wish that this war ends so that all the sons and daughters of our country work together for the development of our dear motherland. I wish the world of sports many victories to our national teams and clubs in all sports. I wish the volleyball family to have more understanding, more unity, so that we can work on the development of volleyball, which we love, and our clubs and national teams can bring us more medals.” enter.
Returning to the balance sheet for 2022, Casimir Sawadogo assures that the completion rate of the previous year’s activities is between 80 and 90%. These are especially the organization of the youth championship D1, in which many clubs participate, due to the first person in charge of Burkinabe volleyball. Burkinabè clubs also participate in international competitions held in Côte d’Ivoire. In Ouagadougou, Burkinabe clubs also stood out during the contest of the disputed champion clubs. AS Douanes was champion among men and vice-champion among women.
- Casimir Sawadogo, President of the Burkinabe Volleyball Federation
Despite a satisfactory record, major challenges remain. For Burkinabe Volleyball Federation president Casimir Sawadogo, the main challenge for his federation in 2023 is working to ensure consistency. According to him, the problem is related to the lack of financial resources and sponsors. “Like all hand sports, the lack of funding and sponsors makes it impossible to organize all the events,” he laments.
He hopes that the situation will change in 2023 with more material, technical and financial opportunities to promote Burkinabe volleyball in the international arena. “We have the African Volleyball Cup to be held in 2023. We will fight for the participation of our men’s and women’s national teams. Last time only men could participate and we hope that both will participate this year. It’s all about resources. We will have the champions club trophy in zone 3 to be played in Abidjan from February 10 to 17, 2023 and we hope our teams (AS Customs men and women and USFA men) will do well there,” he explains.
According to Casimir Sawadogo, there are currently no international volleyball players in Burkina Faso, but efforts are being made to find international bases for the best athletes. “We are in talks with Morocco and Europe so we won’t be able to field some of our good players. We noticed that in order for our volleyball to compete with others, we need international players who will gain experience to strengthen our national team.”
During these exchanges, the issue of sports infrastructure was also discussed. With the land, with the support of the Japanese Embassy in Burkina Faso, Casimir Sawadogo, with the help of his partners, wishes to add stands to it and make it an indoor room, because he remembers: “Today it is accepted that volleyball should be played indoors. It is true that the CNOSB gave us a room, there is a Ouaga 2000 gym , but if we can cover this room, it would be more useful during the international competitions to be held in Ouagadougou”. He adds that infrastructure is also needed in different regions of the country to facilitate the practice of volleyball, etc.
Casimir Sawadogo does not see any concerns about the merger of the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Youth and Employment, but recommends less bureaucracy, giving more independence to certain departments to facilitate tasks. The president of the Burkinabe Volleyball Federation thanked all the players and volleyball fans for the work done on the ground and invited them to work harder and redouble their enthusiasm for the development of volleyball in Burkina Faso.
Mamadou ZONGO
Lefaso.net
