Quebec disconnected from the Francophone Games

The Quebec government refuses to send a delegation to the Francophone Games in Kinshasa, due to the risks related to the safety and health of the athletes and artists who were to participate in the events, as indicated. duty Ministry of International Relations.

The decision was made when doubts had swirled for several weeks about Quebec’s participation in the event, which will take place from July 28 to August 6.

“This decision is not easy, but thoughtful and responsible,” ministry spokeswoman Sylvie Leclerc said via email, citing safety and health reasons.

The Minister of International Relations and Francophonie, Martine Peron, had already two weeks ago expressed her concerns about the safety, housing and food of the participants.

Last week, the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the host country, went to Paris to reassure members of the International Organization of La Francophonie, during a meeting of the Permanent Council of La Francophonie (CPF), of which Quebec, New Brunswick and Canada are part.

The Quebec government also carried out two security missions in the DRC in preparation for the Games, in January and May.

M said.^I Locklear.

Quebec plans to send 14 athletes in basketball and three in table tennis.

For its part, the New Brunswick government confirmed, on Tuesday, that dozens of people had been sent to Kinshasa, including six wrestling athletes, coaches, and artists in painting and literature.

Nothing is perfect

Before announcing Quebec’s cancellation, the director of the National Games Commission, Isidore Kwanga Njembo, told L.L.C duty that the event is “a great springboard for young sporting talents from the francophone world”.

“Too bad for countries that want to deny their talented young people such an opportunity that only appears once every four years, for hidden reasons,” he said already on June 15.

After meeting with CPF state and government officials, Mr Kwandja Ngembo appeared confident last week.

“They have accepted some of the challenges that the host country must quickly address, particularly in terms of infrastructure, health and safety, and transportation of athletes and official delegations, while confirming their participation in the ninth edition.^{We are} Francophone Games in Kinshasa. No human action is perfect, ”he wrote on social networks.

In an interview with TV5, the manager said that transportation problems had delayed construction work.

Let’s see in the video