Organisers of 11th IOIG remain confident games will go ahead in Madagascar

(Seychelles News Agency) - Organizers of the 11th Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) remain confident that the event will go ahead as planned in Madagascar in August.

"I recently spoke to the sports minister and the president of Madagascar and they all assured me that the Games will go ahead as planned," said Antonio Gopal, president of the International Games Committee (CIJ).

In a recent article published by Reunion 1ere on 2 May, the president of the Madagascar NOC and the country's youth and sports minister had conflicting views on whether the Games should go ahead.

“The future of the Sea Island Games, scheduled for August 23-September 3, remains uncertain. The president of the Madagascar Olympic Committee said there was a 2 percent chance the Games would go ahead as scheduled. The IOG’s 98 percent chance, said the Minister of Youth and Sports (if not 100%) will take place," the article read.

Gopal, who is also the chairman of the Seychelles Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games Association, remains confident that the Games will be held smoothly.

He told SNA that in the event Madagascar was unable to host the Games, another country would have to take over and the Games could be postponed until 2025.

Meanwhile, another article from Reunion Island on May 4 states: “The President of the Republic of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, his successor, has just broken his silence on the issue of the Island Games, The Island Games is scheduled for August 23 to "September 3, 2023 on the Big Island. "