The sporting gatherings of the Malagasy diaspora abroad offer potential that remains largely untapped. Madagascar must integrate this wealth to advance its sports development.
The National Sports Meeting (RNS), organized annually in France, brings together thousands of Malagasy people for competitions in basketball, football, rugby, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, swimming, and many other disciplines. Similar events also exist in Canada and Germany, where diaspora athletes, often trained in European or North American structures, maintain their passion for sports while remaining attached to their home country.
These events serve as a true showcase of Malagasy sporting potential abroad. For national federations, they could become privileged platforms for talent scouting, especially as many disciplines struggle to broaden their selection base.
The results speak for themselves. In basketball, several players based in the United States, France, Mayotte, and Reunion Island have brought a new dimension to the Ankoay national team. In tennis, Elisoa Andriantefihasina, coming from the American university championship, is now part of the national team, alongside other diaspora players such as the Ranaivo siblings, Mahefa Rakotomalala, Fenosoa Rasendra, and Iriela Rajaobelina, among others.
In athletics, international athletes licensed in France regularly wear the Malagasy colors. During the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Mialitiana Clerc and Mathieu Gravier also demonstrated that the diaspora could represent Madagascar at the highest level in disciplines impossible to practice within Madagascar.
The question is no longer whether to call upon diaspora athletes, but how to better integrate them. Federations would benefit from regularly sending technical directors and selectors to major diaspora gatherings to identify players capable of strengthening national teams.
“Madagascar cannot do without its diaspora. The State and the federations must work together to combine players trained in the country with those evolving abroad. This complementarity can become a winning formula,” believes an organizer of Malagasy diaspora sports meetings in North America, who requested anonymity.
With the diaspora, the goal is not to sideline athletes from local clubs, but to take advantage of all available skills. Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and several other African countries have built competitive selections by combining the best talents, whether trained in their home country or abroad.
In a context marked by limited infrastructure and restricted financial resources, Madagascar cannot afford to leave this pool untapped. Diaspora athletes bring solid experience, a culture of professionalism, and high-level requirements that can benefit all national selections.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-15 06:11:40 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/developpement-du-sport-la-diaspora-une.html