Uganda reaps big from Olympic Values

In pioneering the spread of Olympic values Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) has earned an enhanced reputation within the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and will be used as a case study on the matter worldwide among member countries.

IOC has chosen Uganda to be the biggest beneficiary of funding to the tune of $300,000 as compared to other countries that get a maximum of $200,000.

This was revealed by UOC president William Blick when he was closing a three day regional workshop on Olympic Values at Kampala Parents School in Naguru on Friday.

Blick who is also the president of ANOCA Zone 5 said he was proud to have hosted the first regional workshop that has 11 countries.

"The target of IOC is by 2020 to have disseminated the Olympic Values to all people under their jurisdiction and that's our journey. We have taught many people in Uganda from teachers, administrators, district sports officers and sportsmen in many regions of Uganda. I am happy we have opened up to member countries within the region," said Blick while handing over certificates to 70 participants. 

These included 60 Ugandans and others from Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, South Sudan, Djibouti, South Sudan and Eritrea which was represented by national Olympic president, Mehari Tesfai.

Namibia and Zimbabwe are not members of Zone 5 but were given the opportunity to attend according to Blick.

He expounded on Olympic Values that have three main components namely friendship, respect and excellence.

These fall under the five major themes of Olympism namely the joy of effort, pursuit of excellence, respect for others and the environment, the balance between body, will and mind and then the most common, fair play.

Participants were advised not to sit on the certificates but start producing fruits starting with the next World Olympic Day Run due in May.