In Madagascar, sports performance often relies more on the determination of the athletes than on the quality of their training environment. The lack of adequate infrastructure remains one of the primary obstacles to the development of national sports. In Antananarivo, where the population has grown from approximately 450,000 in 1975 to over 2.5 million today, the gap between demographic growth and sports facilities is becoming increasingly apparent.
The Urban Commune of Antananarivo (CUA) mainly oversees the Mahamasina indoor gymnasium, the Alarobia stadium, and the Besarety gymnasium. While these facilities are open to the public, their use is subject to rental fees aimed at funding maintenance.
“Anyone can request access, provided they pay the rental fee and the site is available,” explains Fenosoa Andriamanjato, an official at the CUA.
Among these, the Alarobia stadium is by far the most frequented. According to a CUA employee interviewed during our reporting, between 1,000 and 2,500 people engage in physical activity there daily. “The Alarobia stadium, with its homologated track, hosts between 1,000 and 2,500 users per day, from opening to closing,” the employee confided anonymously.
The track has become an indispensable tool for high-level athletes. Ny Aina Anna Andrinjafy, the recent Southern African U20 400m hurdles champion, trains there six days a week. “Infrastructure like this track is essential for us as we pursue peak performance,” she emphasizes.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports, for its part, manages the Palais des Sports in Mahamasina and the Ankoay gymnasium in Ankorondrano. The Barea stadium, along with its annex field and basketball courts, is under the administration of the limited company KBM.
In a capital like Antananarivo, the availability of sports equipment can no longer meet the needs of a metropolis that concentrates a significant portion of the country’s urban population.
A comparison with Reunion Island is telling. With approximately 880,000 inhabitants, the French department has more than 4,000 registered sports facilities, which equates to nearly one facility for every 220 residents.
Donné Raherinjatovo
Captured & Published at: 2026-06-19 11:00:02 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/06/infrastructures-les-equipements.html