Beginning next month, this will mark the third successive in year in which development projects have taken place, with the idea, first developed by the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF), now under the auspices of the French Association of National Olympic Committees (AFCNO).

FrancsJeux have reported that this year, nine "Francophones" between the ages of 23 and 26 will participate, with four travelling to Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon and Rwanda.

A fifth will head to Albania while a sixth will visit Pacific island Vanuatu

The remaining three will stay in France to work with the CNOSF, French Badminton Federation and French taekwondo networks, respectively. 

Over a nine to 12 month period the volunteers all have different aims, individually determined by the requirements of their respective NOC.

In Burundi and Gabon, the two will seek to improve communication and marketing, two areas often overlooked due to lack of human resources, with the Burundi National Olympic Committee, for example, having no commercial partner.

In Rwanda, they will work to develop sport, while in Cameroon, Albania and Vanuatu, they will promote the Olympic values.

The volunteers will spend nine to 12 months in their respective NOCs ©FrancsJeux



As well as the development work, the volunteers will be responsible for strengthening the French-language network in the international sport, either in France or beyond.

This comes in the midst of a widespread effort to revive the use of the French language in international sport ever since AFCNO was set up in 2010, with a meeting having take place at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing earlier this year, and another scheduled during the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly in Bangkok next month.

The importance of the French language and Francophone networks formed part of the training each of the volunteers received ahead of their missions, with the Olympic values, Olympic Solidarity, communication and social media other areas touched upon.

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