Highlights: Senegalese El Hadj Oumar Sèye was appointed on Sunday (April 23rd) to succeed Morocco's Mohamed Kadmiri at the head of the African Surfing Confederation. A former professional surfer, he is a pioneer in the country. His project: to promote and professionalize the discipline on the continent by installing it in schools, whether for girls or boys. In Senegal, even if the discipline has become democratized, it could be even more so according to him.

Senegalese Oumar Sèye appointed head of the African Surfing Confederation

Audio 01:24

El Hadj Oumar Sèye, new president of the African Surfing Confederation, on April 24, 2023, in Dakar. © Charlotte Idrac / RFI

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Senegalese El Hadj Oumar Sèye was appointed on Sunday (April 23rd) to succeed Morocco's Mohamed Kadmiri at the head of the African Surfing Confederation. A former professional surfer, he is a pioneer in the country. Her project: to promote and professionalize the discipline on the continent by installing it in schools, whether for girls or boys.

Advertising

With our correspondent in Dakar, Charlotte Idrac

It is in the town of Ngor, on the edge of the ocean, that El Hadj Oumar Sèye was born and raised. "I discovered surfing when I was 10years old, since my uncle was selling sandwiches and drinks on this beach you see there," says the 45-year-old Senegalese.

On the continent, surfing is particularly developed in South Africa, Morocco, Liberia and São Tomé and Principe. In Senegal, even if the discipline has become democratized, it could be even more so according to him: "We have everything for this sport to be the number 1 tourism, because with more than 800 kilometers of coastline, we only have good waves, it is hot 10 months of the year. What are we missing? It is the will.

In front of young surfers from the continent, Oumar Sèye insists on work, work and work. Its priority: to value the new generation.

The fact of traveling gave me motivation to want to develop Africa through surfing, to propose a project of detection, training and development for girls and boys, he insists. In my program today, I have installed surfing at school, which I want to propose to all African sports ministries. After that, you can't surf in the water if it's not clean. Our slogan will be "don't touch my coastline". »

Next decisive events for young surfers on the continent: the qualifications for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: the events will take place in Tahiti. This is ahead of the Youth Olympic Games scheduled for Senegal in 2026.

Senegalese Oumar Sèye appointed head of the African Surfing Confederation

Senegalese Oumar Sèye appointed head of the African Surfing Confederation

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest