Blick happy with one term at ANOCA Zone V helm

William Blick will not contest for a second term as president of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) Zone V at the elective assembly on Friday

The former Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) boss Blick is content and by stepping aside, Ethiopian Dr Weldegiorgis Ashebir and Egyptian Sharif Elerian will contest to replace him at the AGM to be held at Western Premier Hotel in Entebbe.

“I have decided to leave it,” Blick said yesterday. “I wanted to do one four-year term because I have other international appointments. The Zonal appointment is a transition for the main executive board of which I serve anyway.”

Blick, who also handed over the UOC office after eight years to Donald Rukare in February, currently holds the Individual Member to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which he took last July.

Albeit the coronavirus pandemic, Blick will hand over the regional ANOCA top position with satisfaction. “My plan was to do regional Games which were the first for the youth in Rwanda in 2019,” he said.

“We had a very successful communication strategy in three different languages French, English and Arabic and we also held a seminar for the region for marketing. I believe that is the best I could do and now I want to concentrate on other things,” he added.

ANOCA’s Zone V elective assembly will have 10 voting countries; Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Besides the Ashebir and Elerian duel, incumbent Tanzanian Gulam Rashid will need to beat Dr Deran Tong Chor Malek of South Sudan to keep the treasurer seat.

Then, the quartet of Rwandan Alexis Sharangabo, Eritrean Luul Fisshehaye, Somalian Mohamed Abdou and Burundian Salvator Bigirimana will vie for three member committee positions.

Kenya’s Francis Mutuku is unopposed for the secretary general role and so is Hussam Hashim Khojaly for vice president. Rukare will vote for Uganda.

ABOUT ANOCA

Formation: June 28, 1981

Headquarters: Abuja, Nigeria

Membership: 54 National Olympic Committees

Official language: English, French

President: Mustapha Berraf

PAST ANOCA PRESIDENTS

1981-1989: Anani Matthia (Togo)

1989-1999: Jean-Claude Ganga (Congo)

1999-2001: Francis Nyangweso (Uganda)

2001-2005: Alpha Ibrahim Diallo (Guinea)

2005-2018: Lassana Palenfo (Côte d’Ivoire)

2018-Present: Mustapha Berraf (Algeria)

BLICK AT A GLANCE
Full Name: William Frederick Blick
Born: October 17, 1974
Affiliation: IOC Member
Entry to IOC: 2018
Sports practiced: Rugby, football, athletics, cricket, motocross, BMX and motor rallying

OTHER ACTIVITIES
The Duke of Edinburgh International Award Foundation, UK Represented Africa (2015-2016); Chairman, Duke of Edinburgh Award Uganda (2015)
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
Rugby Player of the Year 1992 (Uganda Sports Press Association);
National Clubman Rally Champion (2006);
Double National Motocross (Winning coach 2016 and 2017)