Incredible! That’s the one word I can use to describe the 2024 sporting season for us at the National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ). With 2024 being an Olympic year, when National Olympic Committees from across the globe gathered in Paris to celebrate the highest level of sport at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it was undoubtedly destined to be a year of celebration.
Paris 2024 will forever hold a special place in Zambia’s history books. After 28 years, the ever-hardworking Team Zambia brought home an Olympic medal, a remarkable bronze won by Muzala Samukonga in the Men’s 400m Final. Allow me to extend heartfelt congratulations to Muzala and to the rest of Team Zambia in Paris for flying our flag high and delivering outstanding performances in the various competitions. Your dedication and hard work have made us proud.
While the Olympic Games stood out as a major highlight, our efforts extended beyond Paris. NOCZ continued its initiatives in capacity building for various sports stakeholders. We celebrated the graduation of the inaugural class of the Advanced Sports Management Course, while sessions in sports administration ensured that new members of affiliated sports federations gained insight into the principles of the Olympic Movement. Additionally, we hosted our inaugural Technical Directors Forum, providing a platform to chart the course for the new sports quadrennial with well-defined strategies and objectives.
Reflecting on these milestones, I must emphasize that saying I’m merely pleased with what we have achieved would be an understatement. I am immensely proud of our accomplishments, both on and off the field of play. As we continue to focus on key performance areas such as athlete development and support, organizational effectiveness and sustainability, and business development, we remain on a promising trajectory as part of the Olympic and Commonwealth sports movement.
Promoting safe and clean sport was another priority in 2024. To this end, we introduced several initiatives aimed at ensuring the highest standards for all stakeholders involved.
Looking ahead, the announcement of Glasgow as the host city for the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games is particularly exciting. As the Commonwealth Games Association of Zambia, we look forward to collaborating with CGA Scotland and the leadership of Commonwealth Sport to ensure smooth administrative preparations, with less than two years until the opening ceremony.
Our success this year would not have been possible without the unwavering support of key individuals and organizations. To the NOCZ Board Members, your strategic guidance over the past year and the Paris 2024 Olympic Cycle has been invaluable. To the Secretariat, led by Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer Boniface Kambikambi, and all the staff, thank you for your exemplary work in achieving our strategic objectives. The various commissions, chaired by Executive Board Members, have excelled through initiatives ranging from fundraising to creating awareness about social issues and the role of sport in addressing them. Your dedication has been outstanding.
Furthermore, I extend my sincere gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Zambia, through the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Arts, led by Honourable Elvis Nkandu, MP, for the support rendered to the sports fraternity, including NOCZ, in 2024. Your commitment is deeply appreciated. To our affiliate National Sports Federations, you have outdone yourselves this year. Congratulations to Zambia Athletics, the Football Association of Zambia, and the Judo Association of Zambia, among others. We look forward to seeing the achievements of all 30 affiliates in 2025.
Our partnerships with the corporate world have also been crucial. To the corporate partners who supported our initiatives on the road to Paris 2024, thank you for your unwavering support. I believe 2024 has laid the foundation for even stronger, mutually beneficial partnerships as we move into the new Olympic cycle leading to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Along the way, we anticipate stops at the Luanda 2025 African Youth Games, the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, and the Cairo 2027 African Games. Continued investment from the corporate world in the Zambian sports fraternity will be vital for our athletes to prepare, perform, and achieve favorable results locally and internationally.
I would also like to express my appreciation to our local and international partners, including the media, for their collaboration and support throughout 2024. Your efforts have amplified the achievements of our athletes and strengthened the visibility of our programs. As we continue to build on these partnerships, I encourage you to look out for the 2024 Executive Report, which will provide comprehensive details of this exceptional sporting year. Our history is filled with inspiring stories of progress, and together, we will continue to reflect on and celebrate these as we step into the new year.
As we conclude the year, I urge the sports fraternity to carry the momentum of 2024 into the new year. As we step into 2025, let us prioritize an athlete-centered approach in all we do. When our athletes thrive, we all thrive.
Compliments of the season.
I Thank You.
Alfred FOLOKO
President
National Olympic Committee of Zambia
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