Dixiades 2014 will train Olympic generation - Kalkaba Malboum

The President of the Cameroon National Olympic and Sports Committee, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, has said, apart from sporting activities, the 2014 edition of the national games, known as Dixiades, will be a forum for the National Olympic Academy to train an Olympic generation in Cameroon.

Kalkaba was speaking during a meeting with journalists to make public the calendar of the 2014 edition of the games on Friday, November 14, in Yaounde. “We want to promote Olympic values. The National Olympic Academy is well prepared to teach youths during the games,” Kalkaba told reporters.

The idea is to train a generation of Cameroonians guided by the spirit of Olympic values. Men, women and youths who will adopt the Olympic virtues of respect, impartiality, solidarity, fair play and education, remarked Kalkaba.

He assured journalists that all necessary preparations have been made to ensure the success of the 2014 games scheduled for December 17 to 22 in Yaounde.

“I can assure you that the 2014 edition of Dixiades will have a real impact on the public. We have put everything in place so that the games will be a success. We are ready, and have the financial means. We concluded agreements with hotels to host our athletes, delegations and owners of urban transport companies,” Kalkaba went on.

He stated that athletes from neighbouring countries in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC, have confirmed their participation and have registered.

Some 2, 659 participants are expected in the 2014 edition of the games. At the national level, each region will send a delegation of 188 persons; including athletes and officials. Thus, 1880 participants will come in from the 10 regions of Cameroon. Meanwhile, each participating country out of Cameroon will send a delegation of 119 persons.

The sporting disciplines retained for competition in this year’s national games are: wrestling, boxing, athletics, gymnastics, cycling, handball, football, basketball, volleyball, among others. Athletes to take part are those who qualified in their respective regions.

Competitions in the various disciplines will be hosted in various sites across Yaounde, that include: the National Institute of Youth and Sports, INJS, University I; the new gymnasium in Mfandena; National Advanced School of Public Works; Yaounde Multipurpose Sports Complex; Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, and the streets of Yaounde for Cycling.

The national games, dubbed Dixiades, were an initiative of the National Olympic and Sports Committee, started in 2008.