The first vice-president of the Senegalese Athletics Federation, El Hadji Bara Thiam, spoke out about the plea made by athlete Saly Sarr and several of his teammates regarding the lack of support in their international preparation. "I heard the plea of these athletes, which I do not deny. They are right, because the management of international competitions is the responsibility of the State, through the Ministry of Sports," he declared. According to him, Senegal is still lagging behind in terms of supervising elite athletes, due to the lack of an appropriate legal framework. "Today, only the Federation, the CNOSS, Olympic Solidarity, and CONFEJES support our athletes. But this support remains insufficient," he acknowledged, while recalling the demands of the Senegalese who expect medals despite the lack of resources invested in preparation.

However, El Hadji Bara Thiam remains optimistic. The adoption of the new Sports Code, currently being finalized, should allow for better regulation of the status of athletes and ensure more consistent monitoring for elite athletes. "Their pleas have been heard. They were even received by the Ministry of Sports and financial support was granted to them, even if it is not enough," he reassured. He cited as an example the case of Louis François Mendy, who is still waiting for real support to prepare for the upcoming World Championships and the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

El Hadji Bara Thiam was speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of an athletics instructor training course organized by the Saly club, under the auspices of the Thiès regional league. He welcomed the initiative, as it is part of the Federation's national training program. "The elite is important, but the next generation is just as important. These 35 young trainees from Thiès and other regions are an essential link for the sustainability of our sport," he emphasized.

Thiès is already distinguished by its performances in the lower categories, and the Federation encourages other regions to follow this example in order to build a solid breeding ground for the future of Senegalese athletics.