Rock Armel Quenum: "We decided to get the house in order"

In Benin as everywhere else, sport has been on hold for a long time. The reason for this stop, the health crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic. So during 09 months the dojos have been tidied up but recently the Beninese state ordered the resumption of sports activities. Can we take stock of the sports season 2020 to the Beninese Karate Do Federation ? What does the year have in store 2021 in karate-do ? In an interview with our editorial staff, the president of the Beninese Karate-Do Federation,  Rock Armel Quenum looks back on this complicated but fruitful sporting year.

After more than 09 month of cessation how is Beninese Karate-do ?

 Almost nothing has been done during this time. Beninese karate like all other sports was at a standstill. This did not prevent us from working online under the umbrella of the umbrella bodies. We had to do online courses for referees and coaches. Regarding the athletes, last December, a continental competition was organized in which eight of our athletes, all under 14 years old with four medals at the finish, one in silver and three in bronze. Instructions had been given for the athletes to work at home. With these results, we can get an idea of ​​the work done by each of them. The 09 The last few months were therefore very complicated for us because we did not have time to really work as we planned.

What to remember from this particular season in terms of Beninese karate-do ?

For Beninese Karate, 2020 was to be the year of revelation and also of confirmation after what was done in 2019 or even further. The year had already started well for us. Car, in January 2020, we were at the Paris Open where we had laps for the first time, we were also on the side of Bamako in Mali for the Ufak West Region Championship from which we brought 12 medals. In February 2020, we were on the side of Dubai and especially in Tangier in Morocco for the African Karate-do Championships, we came back with 03 all bronze medals. Our Federation also sent Oceanne Ganiero to competitions in Europe so that she could glean some points.. Added to this is the first African Under-18 Kata Championship. 14 years who argued online where Benin gleaned 04 medals. During each of these competitions, we didn’t look bad, we came back with medals as we can see. The referees had to do internships, technical courses were also given. Only the grade passages were not made. Everything was planned for this season to be revealing but the pandemic finally passed there and forced us to stop everything.

On the administrative level, what can we remember ?

The Federation during this year proceeded to the installation of all the leagues which had not been done several years ago.. As our texts impose on us, we reported on the last two years of our management to our constituents during a mid-term General Assembly. As well, have we updated the texts and statutes of the Benin Karate-Do Federation.

Are you satisfied with what has been done since 2018 by your executive committee ?

In Karate, work is continuous. So, we cannot yet be satisfied with what has been done. You always have to question yourself to look for the shame because whoever has won now can lose the instant later. So this is to say that if we have to stop to congratulate ourselves on what is done we will go back down. There is still to be done and so let's think about it.

The year 2021, how do you see her ?

2021 will be at 1000 on time. All that has not been done in sport in 2020 has been postponed for 2021. Imagine what we will need for energy, preparation and especially means. So let's all wait and see. Karate is a sport discipline which has, over a year of enormous challenges. From January to December, we are always in competition which is not the case with some. At the competitions listed in this year's calendar 2021, will be added those who could not stand in 2020 especially the Olympic Games which will take place in Japan in August 2021 and the Olympic qualifying tournaments which are already starting in February and in which we will participate if the necessary means are available. We will also have the World Championships and the Youth Olympic Games for international competitions.. On the local level, we will have our departmental and also national competitions.

Are the athletes ready to face the different deadlines ?

It must be recognized that even if there was not the Covid-19 pandemic, we can't really be ready to 100%. You have to work a lot. With Covid-19, there was a slowdown but if they followed the instructions given to them during the waiting time, they will have a certain freshness. The federation she, will do his best to allow them to be at the competitions.

How would you go about meeting these challenges when you know that what is given is often not enough for a year? ?

In Karate, we have learned to fend for ourselves and this is what we do when there is nothing or when what was supposed to come from the authorities is slow in coming. If we have to wait before we go to compete, we won't do anything 12 month. So we make do while we wait. In 2020, we did not receive any subsidies but we participated in all the competitions mentioned in the report, this is proof that we do with what little we have.

In February 2020 when we should go to Morocco, the ministry took care of the plane tickets but that is not enough for a whole year. We always need the means and the more we will be given, the better we will have positive results. We are no longer in the ideology "the main thing is to participate" but we go there to seek good results. So we would like the means to be sufficiently placed at our disposal and especially as soon as possible to allow us to meet the challenges of 2021. We also thank the Beninese National Olympic and Sports Committee for the effort made on its side.. Many times, he came to our aid during these very difficult times.

Within the executive committee what can we expect in the years to come ?

We decided to get the house in order. Because we are talking about the professionalization of our discipline but it cannot be done out of order. We will certainly be dissatisfied with our reforms and especially in their applications. But that's the price to pay to discipline the troop if we want to shine more. We will therefore be better organized on all fronts.. We have already started with the installation of the various departmental leagues we will continue especially in monitoring their operation.

Interview by Damien TOLOMISSI