Sierra Leone’s Chef De Mission, Yayah Koroma has in a short message clarifies a misleading and inaccurate media report regarding the National Olympics Committee/Commonwealth Games Association (NOC/CGA-SLE) President travelling to the Paris 2024 Olympics Games.
Certain sections of the media reported that the NOC/CGA-SLE President deprived athletes and officials of their rightful privileges by travelling with his family.
According to the Chef De Mission whose responsibility was to handle all delegation and entry of the Sierra Leone delegation to the Olympic Games. The reports he said are inaccurate and misleading and portray the travel arrangements of the Olympic Committee President.
“It has come to my attention that some reports suggest that the President deprived athletes and officials of their rightful privileges by travelling with his family. This assertion is misleading and fails to acknowledge the established norms and entitlements that apply to leaders of National Olympic Committees worldwide,” Koroma stated.
He further revealed that like other NOC’s President, General Secretaries, Heads of State, and Ministers invited for the Games, they are all entitled to guest.
He said: “Just like other National Olympic Presidents, Ministers of Sports, Secretaries General, and Heads of State, the President of the NOC is entitled to invite guests to accompany him during official events, including the Olympic Games. This privilege is part of the role and is not at the expense of the athlete’s or officials’ quotas for participation.”
The Sierra Leone Chef De Mission further revealed that the guests of these individuals are the responsibilities of the individual and not any quota at the expense of any athletes who their participation to the Games is a must to qualify nor sports officials who can only be at the Games only if their sporting decisplies secured qualification.
“The decision to travel with family is a personal choice and reflects the President’s entitlement, which is in line with international practices. It is essential to recognize that such arrangements do not detract from the commitment to support our athletes and officials, who are the true stars of the Olympic movement,”
Koroma said and urged everyone to refrain from spreading misinformation that undermines the integrity of the leadership and the spirit of the Olympic Games.
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