Fighting doping and promoting the social inclusion of the children living with a mental handicap

Context

In Burundi’s economic capital Bujumbura, people indulge more in sporting activities. Over 2000 people usually aged 35 to 70 practise everyday producing thereby a consistent social magnitude. However, the sporting environment is fraught with a number of challenges notably a lack of supervision, doping and the inclusion of people with a handicap. 4 cases of elderly people’s deaths have indeed been recorded in less than 5 years and others have seen their health deteriorate for want of supervision and medical monitoring. Besides, doping and drug consumption are wreaking havoc among young athletes and there isn’t a single structure engaged in the struggle with doping. Last but not least, the children living with a physical or mental handicap often face problems of social inclusion on account of some Burundi people’s beliefs that it is cursed people who give birth to handicapped children.

In such a context, Burundi’s NOC aims at cleaning up the sporting environment by developing some new guidelines and actions in 5 of the country’s provinces.

Objectives

• Contributing to better health care via a well managed sporting practice and well-informed leaders and athletes
• Promoting the regular practice of a scientifically supervised physical activity so as to improve the health of people over 35.
• Promoting athletes’ health by organising healthy preparations and contests and promoting a healthy lifestyle
• Promoting the health of persons with a mental handicap through the practice of football

Activities

• Training coaches to supervise and assist the joggers/hikers in 5 Burundi provinces
• Setting up joggers’ clubs and mobilising people for sporting activities supervised by health specialists
• Outreach on the fight with doping and harmful practices among top-level athletes
• Information and education workshops for the sports federation presidents, the team captains and coaches of any targeted sports teams.

Impacts

• About 1,500 joggers/hikers older than 35 shall benefit from the project and shall be supervised when practising their physical activities
• 20 federation presidents, 200 coaches and 500 team captains shall be mobilised to achieve this project’s goals
• 30 children with a mental handicap shall profit from the support provided by 6 selected and  trained coaches.

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