ANOCA Constitution Passed During Hectic Assembly

(ATR) More than four years after the start of the process the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa has an updated constitution.

The body was required to update its constitution after the adoption of a new Association of National Olympic Committees constitution in 2012. During the London Olympics ANOCA met to revise its statues but not enough members were present to have a quorum.

After London, the process languished, and the statutes required a second revision to fall in line with the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020. Revisions were made with help from ANOC and the IOC, but at the 2015 ANOCA General Assembly in Mauritiusit was decided that the constitution would be voted on at an Extraordinary General Assembly after the 2016 ANOC General Assembly in Doha.

After the 2015 ANOCA General Assembly, multiple National Olympic Committees submitted revisions to the proposed constitution. The ANOCA legal commission took into account the proposed amendments before submitting them to the assembly for a vote.

Gathering in Doha, NOCs voiced their concerns with the process, citing confusion with what the assembly was actually voting on. After allowing a range of voices speak on the matter, President Lassana Palenfo called for a vote.

Confusion reigned during the vote, after which 31 NOCs voted yes to adopt the constitution, 5 NOCs voted against adopting the constitution, and 9 NOCs abstained. A total of 47 NOCs were present during roll-call at the beginning of the assembly.

The 31 votes would have fallen just short of the original two-thirds majority needed to adopt the document, but not all of the NOCs were present during the vote. Taking into account all that voted, the threshold was met for adoption, ending the four year process.

"I am satisfied because this was adapted," Palenfo said to Around the Rings. "The vote is a reflection of the general assembly. Next is the implementation."

ANOCA will now hold a presidential election during the 2017 General Assembly in Djibouti.

After the adoption of the constitution, the General Assembly rushed to vote on a new ANOCA logo. A spirited discussion was held on how the body would vote, but in the end the new logo was passed by acclamation.

African Games Preparations Begin

With a new constitution, ANOCA now focuses on preparations for the 2019 African Games.

Equatorial Guinea will host the Games, after a memorandum of understanding was signed between ANOCA, the African Union, and Association of African Sports Confederations in September. ANOCA will organize and market the Games, solving an impasse that developed after the 2015 Africa Games.

Palenfo told the General Assembly that ANOCA will meet with the AU next month in Algiers, Algeria to "define how the Games will be" in Equatorial Guinea.

ANOCA must now work with the AASC and International Federations to secure Olympic qualification sports for African athletes at the Games. Negotiations are expected to begin immediately.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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