All Set
For Olympic Village
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
From all indications, the construction of an Olympic Village in
Liberia is set to begin.
According to the President of the Liberia National Olympic Committee (LNOC),
Philibert S. Browne, the technical director of the project would
arrive in the country on Wednesday.
The LNOC President disclosed that Mamadou Sambe, a Senegalese
national, would be in the country up to Sunday.
He mentioned that following the departure of the technical director,
the construction for the Olympic Village, to be located in
Paynesville, would last for six months.
Mr. Browne declared that the requirement for benefiting from an
Olympic Village is six acres of land but the LNOC boss said his group
acquired ten acres.
While in the country, Mr. Browne added that the Olymp Afrique Director
would tour the project site and later meet with the Ministry of Youth
and Sport officials and perhaps the President, Mrs. Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf.
The Olymp Afrique project, as revealed by the LNOC President, is
estimated at US$150,000.00, with US$85,000.00 coming from the
Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).
Mr. Browne noted that an Olympic size swimming pool would be the only
thing not to be at the Olympic Village.
Notwithstanding, the head of the LNOC made it known that his group has
written some institutions such as the Liberian Bank for Development
and Investment (LBDI) and the Lone Star Communications Corporation for
the construction of an Olympic size swimming pool.
The Olympic Village, when completed, Browne said, would adequately
prepare athletes for international competitions.
“Everybody will go to the Olympic Village for practice. We are going
to make space for everybody, including swimming.”
He averred that there would be launching and later groundbreaking for
the Olympic Village.
Mr. Browne promised that the Olympic Village would be named after a
humanitarian or sports veteran.
He concluded by saying that the Olymp Afrique Director is coming along
with the drawing of the Olympic Village, which was done in Senegal.
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