BUJUMBURA, March 13th (ABP) – The French Embassy to Burundi has been supporting talented young Burundians to showcase their talents at the global level in international competitions since 2019. These were the words of Jean Clément Ndione, the project manager for the emergence and promotion of athletes in Burundi (PEPS), during an interview with a check by ABP on Sunday, March 9, 2025.
According to Ndione, the French Embassy sought coaches/training experts with the aim of helping young athletes improve their performance and who could help them physically. In this vein, it supports athletes and all talented young people working in the sports sector, he emphasized.
Regarding monitoring and support, Ndione stated that the French Embassy continues to improve high-performance support and services for talented young people, regardless of their technical and medical needs. The major challenge he mentioned is the lack of specific bikes recommended for racing.
Furthermore, Ndione noted other activities undertaken by the French Embassy to Burundi. These include active support, including the arrangement of sports venues, the provision of equipment, the identification of new talent, and capacity building for training clubs, he mentioned.
As for Félicien Ndabarushimana, a young cyclist from Ngozi, regular participation in training facilitates athletes’ ability to compete with ease. He stated that financial and material support (equipment, travel expenses, and specialized training) is crucial. Ndabarushimana called on the Ministry responsible for Sports to support young athletes so that they can progress and succeed in competitions.
It is worthy to note that the main objective of PEPS is particularly to contribute to the presence of Burundian sportsmen and women, in international sports competitions by 2026, thanks to international expertise, Ndione said.