The new president of the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC), Alice Umulinga, has said major strategic projects aimed at supporting athletes are in pipeline, targeting impressive performance at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. Umulinga was elected new president of the Rwanda Olympic Committee for a four-year term which will run until the end of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. While she became the first woman to lead the Olympic Committee in Rwanda, Umulinga has a big task to change the narrative and succeed where her predecessors failed as Rwanda’s medal jinx at the Olympic Games continues. Umulinga and her team have a point to prove and put their 2025–2028 projections into actions. Before jumping to the Los Angeles 2028 Games, Rwandan athletes will take part in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, then the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. These are two crucial tests which Umulinga believes will help her office to draw the level of the athletes but it will also help athletes raise their level which would help them smash records in Los Angeles, unlike in previous editions. “We want to improve the Olympic Games and athletes to build a strong future. We will ensure that Rwanda’s sporting initiatives contribute to building stronger communities and developing young talent with global potential,” she told Times Sport. Umulinga believes in giving a chance to emerging talents and only few could be surprised if Rwanda’s Olympics team for the Los Angeles Olympics is dominated by new faces. She promised to make sure that the local sports federations have the fundamentals that can change the future of the country at the Olympic podium. To her, success lies in “nurturing the best young talents who can proudly represent Rwanda and compete for medals.” “We will establish Youth and Senior Olympic Teams. By optimizing all available resources, they (federations) will implement athlete development programmes,” the former Kigali Volleyball Club player noted. This initiative, she said, will also attract additional stakeholders and sponsors who can support preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. READ ALSO: Olympic committee staff probed over Commonwealth Games “It’s high time Rwanda stopped over-relying on talented athletes because the best way of excelling is investing in youth by having more competitions, which can improve their level, and we can make sure that we are making follow-ups on them,” Umulinga argued. “We have a good plan for bringing sport to another level to achieve what we all want as the committee and federations, and the sports fraternity. We must work together.” Umulinga served as RNOSC’s first vice-President since May 2021 until approved to assume the office as acting president after then president Theo Uwayo resigned from the position in November 2022 as a result of failing to have a common vision with some members on the executive committee. During her rein, she will work with the newly-elected executive committee which features a blend of continuity and renewal. Most outgoing members retained their positions, a sign of confidence in their stewardship over the past four years. The new executive committee also includes Rwanda Automobile Club President Christian Gakwaya who was elected first vice president while Salama Umutoni was elected second Vice President. Joseph Kajangwe is serving as RNOSC Secretary General.
