Medals at the Indian Ocean Island Games are not won solely on the field of play. They are built years in advance through vision, funding, scheduling, and coordination between the State, federations, and partners. With thirteen months to go until the 2027 edition, Madagascar appears to be lagging behind in these areas.
The paradox is striking, given that the Great Island has genuine medal prospects. Among the eighteen selected disciplines, several are historical strongholds. Judo, boxing, wrestling, taekwondo, weightlifting, and pétanque are consistently among the top medal contributors.
Basketball, particularly 3×3 where the ‘Ankoay’ reign in Zone 7, remains a safe bet, while 5×5 maintains a regional level capable of competing for top honors. Athletics, driven by a new generation, also holds legitimate ambitions, even though the 2023 edition showed that Madagascar does not dominate the discipline alone.
Conversely, swimming, sailing, cycling, and certain team sports appear more challenging against Reunion, Mauritius, or the Seychelles. However, these gaps are not inevitable; they primarily reflect differences in structure and investment.
Currently, some projects are clearly underway: athletics, which will use the Madagascar championships in late July and early August to identify future selections; basketball; and weightlifting. For the rest, roadmaps remain largely invisible.
The most worrying silence is perhaps not from the federations, but from the State. No national strategy has yet been publicly presented to prepare for the 2027 Games. No medal targets, support programs for federations, training schedules, or athlete accompaniment plans have been officially unveiled.
An athlete preparing at the Alarobia stadium, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed concern: ‘Mauritius and Reunion are the two main rivals. They are ahead in their preparation. But here in Madagascar, nothing is on the horizon. Are we just going to make up the numbers?’
Reunion will start as the favorite due to the depth of its squad and the quality of its infrastructure. Mauritius appears as the main challenger, strong in technical disciplines. Madagascar has the weapons to compete in several sports and aim for a spot on the general podium, provided it transforms its potential into performance.
In the absence of a clear policy, the Comoros Games risk reminding us of a well-known truth: well-prepared countries will occupy the top spots.
The federations contacted have, for the moment, declined to comment while awaiting word from the central government. We also contacted Alain Désiré Rasambany, Minister of Youth and Sports, who promised to get back to us later.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-14 06:26:38 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/jeux-des-iles-2027-letat-tarde-lancer.html