Philippe Hao Thyn Voon, President of the International Games Council of the Indian Ocean (CIJ), has announced that the 12th edition of the Indian Ocean Island Games (JIOI) will be held in the Comoros from August 10 to 19, 2027. This schedule adjustment aims to avoid conflicts with the school year and travel constraints for athletes from Reunion Island.
The Comoros are actively preparing for their role as hosts, with construction underway for the Games Village and an Olympic gymnasium in Mitsoudjé, supported by Sino-Comorian cooperation. Meanwhile, hotel projects in Itsandraya and Moroni are progressing.
While Mauritius has already allocated 20 million rupees for athlete preparation and Reunion Island is planning a delegation of over 500 athletes, Madagascar remains notably silent. There is no clear roadmap from the state, and national federations are struggling to move forward with limited resources. Key questions regarding athlete selection, training camps, and priority disciplines remain unanswered.
This lack of preparation is concerning, especially as Madagascar seeks to defend its top ranking from the 2023 Games held on home soil. Competing away from home against well-prepared rivals makes the task significantly harder. An athlete training at the Alarobia stadium expressed hope that upcoming meetings between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the federations will finally provide a concrete strategy. With less than a year to go, the time for decision-making is critical.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-04 06:23:48 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/jioi-2027-les-athletes-dans-lexpectative.html