Echorouk’s Forum: “Algeria’s participation in 2008 Beijing Olympics was honourable”, says Berraf

In his first statement to the Press in the wake of the Beijing Olympic games, the chairman of the Algerian Olympic committee Mustapha Berraf chose Echorouk to whom he made an overall assessment of the performances achieved by the Algerian sporting delegation during these games and the prospects for the next London Olympics of 2012.

• The Algerian delegation achieved honourable performances
• Berraf described Algeria’s participation in Beijing as globally “honourable” with the clinching of 2 hard-won medals, one in silver and another one in bronze in Judo.
• In this respect, Berraf said that Judo was becoming, slowly but surely, the bandwagon of Algerian sport, contrary to athletics and boxing which are rather going downhill as evidence by the dismal results achieved in these 2 disciplines in Beijing.
• Algerian Athletics: A dismal failure
• The chairman of the Algerian Olympic committee told Echorouk that Algerian athletics in the Beijing Olympics met with a dismal failure despite the fact that 2 Algerian athletes were among the finalists in the 800m race.
• Algeria’s disappointment in the 1500m race
• Berraf affirmed that the 3 Algerian athletes engaged in the 1500m race namely Kamel Boulehfane, Tarek Boukenza and Antar Zarg El Ain have lagged behind and failed to step on the podium dashing the Algerian sports fans’ hopes for a much-coveted medal.
• Athletics beset by a gross lack of organisation
• Berraf said that the instability and lack organisation in the Algerian athletics arena have led to the disarray of our athletes in the Beijing Olympics.
• Algerian boxers were the victims of biased referees in Beijing
• Berraf indicated that the Algerian boxers could have grabbed easily several medals in Beijing but were glaringly discriminated against by certain biased referees who favoured their opponents triggering a general outcry in the boxing arena.
• Our first goal is to prepare for the next Mediterranean Games
• Berraf further shifted to the prospects for the Algerian sport saying that Algeria’s goal now is to prepare for the next Mediterranean Games due to be held in Italy.
• These upcoming Mediterranean sports joustings will be,  he said, a good preparation in all disciplines for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
• AOC: Objective London 2012
• We should ponder as from now over the 2012 London Olympics stressing that the Algerian Olympic committee is advocating the setting up shortly of an “Olympic Excellency Pole” which will take in charge the best Algerian athletes in the sporting, methodological and medical fields as part of a viable training program ahead of regional and international competitions so as to enhance our athletes’ performances.
• President Bouteflika set to boost Algerian sport
• The chairman of the Algerian Olympic Committee expressed full satisfaction at the great interest shown by the Head of state Abdellaziz Bouteflika in the Algerian sport, all disciplines taken together, and at his declared intention at a reception in Beijing to help our best athletes forge ahead.