BUJUMBURA July 20th (ABP) – Six Burundian athletes will represent their country at the next Olympic games to be held in Tokyo, Japan, from July 23 to August 8. This was revealed on Friday July 16 during the ceremonies of departure of the Burundian delegation to Tokyo, organized by the National Olympic Committee (CNO), under the high patronage of the Ministry in charge of Sports.
Mr. J Claude Kanene, assistant to the Ministry in charge of Sports, said that it is expected that those athletes, considered ambassadors of Burundi who must give a good image of the country, return home with medals. He called on them to respect the code that was drawn up for them, believing that it will be easy for them all the more so as in Burundian culture, we advocate respect for the commitments made.
CNO Chairperson Lydia Nsekera insisted on the implementation of the prevention protocol against Covid-19, in particular the compulsory wearing of a mask. Mrs. Nsekera said it would be a shame if an athlete were to test positive when they got off the plane. Such an athlete would thus be directly quarantined and will have to take medication until the recovery, said the CNO chairperson, meaning that in such a case, the new measures indicate another test before 6 hours of the competition. Even before the competition, another test is carried out on the athlete who had been quarantined. For Mrs. Nsekera, the entire delegation is also exposed because it would be made up of contact persons to whom tests are carried out.
The national flag of Burundi will be carried by the young athlete Belly Croesus Ganira, who will represent the country in swimming over a distance of 100 meters freestyle. He thanked the authorities of the country for that responsibility of carrying a whole country and promised to do everything to achieve what is expected from him.
Of the six athletes who will represent Burundi at the Tokyo Olympics, three will compete in athletics. These are Francine Niyonsaba, Eric Nzikwinkunda and Olivier Irabaruta. Two others, namely Belly Croesus Ganira and Odrina Kaze, will do the swimming discipline, while Ornella Havyarimana will represent the country in boxing.