2023 Jeux de la Francophonie

The 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie, also known as IXes Jeux de la Francophonie (French for 9th Francophone Games), informally Kinshasa 2023 (Lingala: Kinsásá 2023), were a multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 6, 2023, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[1] This was the first edition of the games to be hosted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

IX Jeux de la Francophonie

Host city	Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nations	34
Athletes	3,000
Opening	28 July 2023
Closing	6 August 2023
Opened by	Félix Tshisekedi
Main venue	Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte
Website	https://kinshasa2023.org/
← 2017 2027 →

Originally awarded on April 7, 2016, to Moncton and Dieppe.^[2] On January 30, 2019, the New Brunswick government cancelled its commitment to host the games due to funding issues.^[3] The games were awarded to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo in July 2019.^[4]

In 2020, the games were moved from 2021 to 2022 to avoid clashing with the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics.^[5] They were postponed once again in 2022, to 2023 due to delays.^[6]

Several countries withdrew from the games or sent reduced delegations due to health and safety concerns including team Canada, Quebec,^[7] New Brunswick ^[8] and France.^[9]

Organisation

First selection

Among the interested hosts were Moncton-Dieppe, New Brunswick, Sherbrooke, Quebec and Guadeloupe.^[10] After the advisory committee of the international committee of the Francophonie Games decided to support New Brunswick, the Quebec government announced that it was joining the consensus reached, would step aside and support New Brunswick's bid.^[11] The games were officially awarded in Paris on April 7, 2016, to Moncton and Dieppe as the sole remaining bid.^[2]

Venues for the games were to include Universite de Moncton's Moncton Stadium, and facilities at Mount Allison University and Crandall University. New Brunswick Community College in Dieppe was expected to host the event's cultural activities.^[12] Up to 4,000 athletes and artists were expected to participate.

Initially expected to cost $17.5 million, costs grew by 664 per cent to $130 million.^[13] On January 30, 2019, the New Brunswick government cancelled its commitment to host the games due to funding issues.^[3]

Second selection

The city council of Sherbrooke, Quebec passed a motion in February 2019 expressing support for hosting the game provided the city receive financial support from the federal government of Canada and the provincial government of Quebec.^[14]

The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie issued a new call on 1 March 2019 for bids to host the games with a deadline of 31 May 2019 for submissions.^[14] The games were awarded to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo in July 2019.^[4]

Controversies

Less than a month before the Games, several teams withdrew due to health and safety concerns. Quebec canceled its participation,^[7] while Canada and New Brunswick participated with reduced delegations.^[15][8] France limited itself to a few events, refusing, among other things, to send participants for athletics and cycling events.^[9] Wallonia-Brussels only sent participants for cultural events, expressing concerns about the state of sports infrastructure.^[9] Some delegations, including the Canadian one, hired additional security teams.^[16]

The general secretary of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, did not attend the opening ceremony of the games.^[17] Against a backdrop of diplomatic tensions between Rwanda and the DRC, she claims that her invitation was never sent to her. She was replaced by Caroline St-Hilaire, administrator of the OIF.

In October 2023 Nicolas Kazadi, the Congolese Minister of Finance, estimated that the cost of the games was ultimately multiplied by seven. According to figures published by the minister, the initial budget of $48 million ultimately reached $324 million.^[18]

Participants

Full members, associate members and observer members of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie are eligible to participate. 34 of 61 members participated in the games.^[19][20]

Participating members

Armenia  Benin  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cameroon  Canada  Canada -  New Brunswick  Central African Republic  Chad  Democratic Republic of the Congo (host)  Republic of Congo  Djibouti  Equatorial Guinea  France  Gabon  Guinea  Ivory Coast  Kosovo  Lebanon  Madagascar  Mali  Mauritius  Morocco  Niger  Romania  Senegal  Seychelles  St. Lucia   Switzerland  Togo  Tunisia  United Arab Emirates  Vietnam Wallonia-Brussels

Non-Participating members
Albania  Andorra  Belgium  Bulgaria  Cape Verde  Cambodia  Canada -  Ontario  Canada -  Quebec  Comoros  Cyprus  Dominica  Egypt  Ghana  Greece  Guinea-Bissau  Haiti  Laos  Luxembourg  Mauritania  Moldova  Monaco  New Caledonia  North Macedonia  Qatar  Rwanda  São Tomé and Príncipe  Serbia  USA -  Louisiana  Vanuatu

Venues

Sport Venues

Venue	Sports
Stade des Martyrs - Terrain annexe	Athletics, Para-athletics
Stade des Martyrs - Gymnasium	Basketball
Stade des Martyrs	Football (Final and Semi-finals)
Stade de Barumbu	Football (Group stage)
Stade Tata Raphaël	Football (Group stage)
Stade Tata Raphaël - Gymnasium	Judo, Wrestling (Freestyle)
Stade Tata Raphaël - Salle de Tennis de Table	Table tennis
Esplanade Fikin	Wrestling (African)

^[21]

Cultural Venues

Venue	Event
National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo	Painting, Photography, Sculpture
Echangeur de Limete	Hip-hop dance, Juggling, Puppetry
Palais du Peuple	Song
Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles	Storytelling
Institut Français - Halle de la Gombe	Digital creation
Délégation Wallonie-Bruxelles	Literature

^[22]

Events

Sports Athletics (details) Basketball (details) Cycling (road) (details) Football (soccer) (details) Para-athletics (details) Judo (details) Table tennis (details) Wrestling (African and freestyle) (details)

Cultural Creative dance Digital creation Hip-hop dance Juggling Literature Poetry Painting Photography Puppetry Sculpture Song Storytelling Traditional inspiration dance

Medal table

Final medal tally below.

  *   Host nation (DR Congo)

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Morocco	23	16	19	58
2	Romania	17	9	12	38
3	Cameroon	13	13	14	40
4	Senegal	10	9	6	25
5	Burkina Faso	7	4	8	19
6	France	7	4	4	15
7	Ivory Coast	6	5	4	15
8	Mauritius	6	4	2	12
9	DR Congo*	5	11	19	35
10	Canada	4	6	3	13
11	Djibouti	4	1	3	8
12	Niger	3	8	7	18
13	Madagascar	3	4	2	9
14	Armenia	3	2	3	8
15	Lebanon	2	1	5	8
16	Chad	1	5	4	10
17	Tunisia	1	3	2	6
18	Kosovo	1	2	1	4
19	Switzerland	1	1	3	5
20	Guinea	1	1	0	2
21	Benin	1	0	2	3
22	Congo	0	4	7	11
23	Togo	0	2	1	3
24	Gabon	0	1	4	5
25	Burundi	0	1	2	3
	Mali	0	1	2	3
27	French Community of Belgium	0	1	1	2
28	New Brunswick	0	0	2	2
29	Equatorial Guinea	0	0	1	1
	Vietnam	0	0	1	1
Totals (30 entries)		119	119	144	382

Medalists

African wrestling

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Men's team	Senegal Babacar Diène Mamadou Diouf Modou Faye Gora Niang Siny Sembène	Niger Djamilou Bakoye Bajini Noura Hassane Salou Aboubacar Ibrahim Mahaman Mansour Issa Saley Zakirou Zakari Abdourahamane	Burkina Faso Iyassa Bado Karim Basongo Koni Diallo Siaka Konate Kevin Mosse
Men's 66 kg	Djamilou Bakoye Bajini  Niger	Iyassa Bado  Burkina Faso	Babacar Diène  Senegal
Men's 76 kg	Mamadou Diouf  Senegal	Mansour Issa Saley  Niger	Koni Diallo  Burkina Faso
Men's 86 kg	Aboubacar Ibrahim Mahaman  Niger	Pierrot Mayakapongo Kabuanga  DR Congo	Siny Sembène  Senegal
Men's 100 kg	Gora Niang  Senegal	Alaza Sayibia  Togo	Noura Hassane Salou  Niger
Men's +100 kg	Modou Faye  Senegal	Idriss Bousseina  Chad	Zakirou Zakari Abdourahamane  Niger
Women's team	Cameroon Rose Namondo Kombe Natacha Nabaina Blodine Nyeh Ngui Rosine Ntsa Assouga Pélagiie Wilita	Chad Bamdra Eldjoumba Bamaye Godah Samsia Gassida Lubahitar Josta Issa Zara	DR Congo Djenny Boenga Eyale Ndombe Kiengi Prisca Madunu Mira Mbala Rosie Tabora
Women's 48 kg	N'De Caroline Yapi  Ivory Coast	Rosine Ntsa Assouga  Cameroon	Lubahitar Josta  Chad
Women's 53 kg	Rose Namondo Kombe  Cameroon	Beatrice Ionela Ferent  Romania	Mama Marie Sambou  Senegal
Women's 58 kg	Zineb Hassoune  Morocco	Mariatou Diallo  Senegal	Wendgounda Josiane Nabi  Burkina Faso
Women's 63 kg	Blodine Nyeh Ngui  Cameroon	Fatoumata Yarie Camara  Guinea	Malala Soloniaina  Madagascar
Women's 70 kg	Amy Youin  Ivory Coast	Pélagiie Wilita  Cameroon	Adina Ionela Irimia  Romania

Basketball

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Women	Senegal Aminata Tall Seynabou Ndoye Seynabou Dieye Mame Coumba Fall Coumba Niang Julie Dacosta Aminata Ly Khadija Faye Ndioma Kane Aissatou Mame Fall Khadidiatou Bigue Sarr Laurence Sabine Diedhiou	Cameroon Michelle Noelle Nkolo Alie'A Vafon Joko Sema Ekah Paule Nkwetchou Njoukwe Salomé Bella Belong Loica Djuessie Youta Myriam Guiolobo Josiane Feumba Damaris Phalonne Emedie Audrey Batchaya Djofang Josiane Tcheumeleu Tientcheu	Madagascar Harisoa Hajanirina Nahitantsoa Rakotobe Marion Rasolofoson Elinah Ranarisaona Setratiana Manohisoa Avotra Marson Minaoharisoa Jaofera Malala Rasendrarison Harimihanta Andriatahina Jessica Vavisoa Angelissa Velontiana Lalaina Rasoanomenjanahary

Cultural

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Creative dance	Cie Fientan  Burkina Faso	Cie Les Algues  DR Congo	Cie Siwa Carmelita  Benin
Digital creation	VieAir 2.26  Burkina Faso	Paul Malaba  DR Congo	Bj Vision  Gabon
Hip-hop dance	Team Léopard  DR Congo	Power Crew Bboying  Senegal	One Nation  Wallonia
Juggling	Stylers Crew  Morocco	CIV freestyle team  Ivory Coast	FECOFREE  DR Congo
Literature	Jocelyn Danga Motty  DR Congo	Cécile Hupin  Wallonia	Valentin Decoppet  Switzerland
Painting	Richianny Raherinjatovo  Madagascar	Fally Sène Sow  Senegal	Glodi Mbela Mambueni  DR Congo
Photography	Mary Madanamootoo  Mauritius	Ralff Lhyliann  Congo	Adrien Tache  France
Puppetry	Les Marionnettes du Congo  DR Congo	KAdam-KAdam  Togo	Collectif Sannu-Sannu  Niger
Sculpture	Senou Anthelme Lokossou  Benin	Fitiavana Ratovo Andriantseheno  Madagascar	Kwami Dodji Agbetoglo  Togo
Song	Nda Chi  Cameroon	Flora Paré  Burkina Faso	Lerie Sankofa  Ivory Coast
Storytelling	Hanna Samira Moumoula  Burkina Faso	Mamane Iro Salifou  Niger	Dan Bosembo Alonga  DR Congo

Cycling

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Men's road race	Achraf Ed Doghmy  Morocco	Nasr-Eddine Maatougui  Morocco	Cătălin Buta  Romania
Women's road race	Salma Hariri  Morocco	Chaimae Ez-Zakraoui  Morocco	Wissal Baoubbou  Morocco

Judo

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Men's 60 kg	Ashik Andreyan  Armenia	Alexandru Matei  Romania	Enzo Jean  France
			Arnold Kisoka Kiamfumu  DR Congo
Men's 66 kg	Julien Frascadore  Canada	Fernand Nkero  Gabon	Joe Haddad  Lebanon
			Lucian Borş-Dumitrescu  Romania
Men's 73 kg	Hassan Doukkali  Morocco	Gedéon Kasota Kisiati  DR Congo	Dardan Cena  Kosovo
			Alexandre Rubiano  France
Men's 81 kg	David Popovici  Canada	Tizie Gnamien  France	Hamza Kabdani  Morocco
			Kissouli Konate  Burkina Faso
Men's 90 kg	Alexandru Sibișan  Romania	Alexandre Arencibia  Canada	Tshierry Lusamba Kalala  DR Congo
			Vladimir Ngueya Naheu  Cameroon
Men's 100 kg	Shpati Zekaj  Kosovo	Eduard Serban  Romania	Walid Boukhriss  Morocco
			Libasse Ndiaye  Senegal
Men's +100 kg	Khamzat Saparbaev  France	John Messé A Bessong  Canada	Hardel Samba  Congo
			Mohammed Lahboub  Morocco
Women's 48 kg	Anais Perrot  France	Signoline Kanyamuneza  Burundi	Aziza Chakir  Morocco
			Charlize Medilo  Canada
Women's 52 kg	Marie Baba Matia  Cameroon	Florina Bădiceanu  Romania	Fatimé Barka Sègue  Chad
			Evelyn Beaton  Canada
Women's 57 kg	Chloé Devictor  France	Narindra Rakotovao  Madagascar	Zalikatou Hassane Abdou  Niger
			Wissal Ziane  Morocco
Women's 63 kg	Rania Drid  France	Isabelle Harris  Canada	Chaimae Taibi  Morocco
			Aqulina Chayeb  Lebanon
Women's 70 kg	Aina Rasoanaivo Razafy  Madagascar	Laurence Biron  Canada	Oulaya Khairi  Morocco
			Zita Biami  Cameroon
Women's 78 kg	Liz Ngelebeya  France	Coralie Godbout  Canada	Ange Niragira  Burundi
			Georgika Djendue Moune  Cameroon
Women's +78 kg	Marie Loanne Durhone  Mauritius	Natacha Tarabay  Lebanon	Emilie Afang Obiang  Gabon
			Badjoh Polneau  Ivory Coast
Mixed team	Team Mbuji-Mayi  Marie Baba Matia (CMR)  Cheick Bamogo (BUR)  Rosine Bodjrenou (BEN)  Ioan Dzitac (ROU)  Tizie Gnamien (FRA)  Lizzie Joseph (MRI)  Hafsa Yatim (MAR)	Team Paris  Robert Beina Bangmo (CMR)  Kadodjobe Cissé (CIV)  Sasso Hassan Mohamed (DJI)  Inès Irakiza (BDI)  Isabelle Landu Malundama (COD)  Khamzat Saparbaev (FRA)  Wissal Ziane (MAR)	Team Bukavu  Marie Alexsha Agathe (MRI)  Chloé Devictor (FRA)  Alberto Kems Bokandji (CGO)  Hillary Komba Ngwamidiba (GAB)  Kissouli Konate (BUR)  David Koung A Koung (CMR)  Rianah Ramahefarison Harind (MAD)
			Team Beyrouth  Anna Siga Faye (SEN)  Winsley Gangaya (MRI)  Gedéon Kasota Kisiati (COD)  Ada Mounguengui (GAB)  Ange Niragira (BDI)  Fetra Ranaivoarisoa (MAD)  Souleymane Seogo (BUR)

Table tennis

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Men's singles	Andrei Eduard Ionescu  Romania	Fabio Rakotoarimanana  Madagascar	Ylane Batix  Cameroon
			Exaucé Ngefuassa Ngyie  DR Congo
Women's singles	Elena Adriana Zaharia  Romania	Fadwa Garci  Tunisia	Mariam El Habech  Lebanon
			Rima Khlghatyan  Armenia
Mixed doubles	Romania Andrei Eduard Ionescu Elena Adriana Zaharia	Mauritius Ryan Desscann Sandhana Desscann	Cameroon Ylane Batix Juliana Mbock
			Tunisia Youssef Ben Attia Fadwa Garci
Mixed team	Romania Andrei Eduard Ionescu Elena Adriana Zaharia	Tunisia Youssef Ben Attia Fadwa Garci	Gabon Andy Bringaud Louidiglisia Maloufa Minzie
			Lebanon Saadeddine El Habach Mariam El Habech

Wrestling

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Men's freestyle 57 kg	Răzvan Marian Kovacs  Romania	Omar Faye  Senegal	Roland Tambi Nforsong  Cameroon
			Arakel Movsesyan  Armenia
Men's freestyle 61 kg	Vrezh Gevorgyan  Armenia	Rabby Kilonga Kilandi  DR Congo	Samuel Dohya Kale  Cameroon
Men's freestyle 65 kg	Marwane Ahmed Yezza  France	Hrachya Margaryan  Armenia	Raby Bapelekia  Congo
			Stefan Ionut Coman  Romania
Men's freestyle 70 kg	Gevorg Mkheyan  Armenia	Moukhammad Amin Sangariev  France	Kaireddine Ben Telili  Tunisia
			Jacques Monty Mbougou  Cameroon
Men's freestyle 74 kg	Maxim Vasilioglo  Romania	Aime Rakotoniaina  Madagascar	Mamadou Diouf  Senegal
			Guy Alain Lago  Ivory Coast
Men's freestyle 79 kg	Andy Kabeya Mukendi  DR Congo	Razmik Simonyan  Armenia	Jean Claude Atongui  Congo
			Abou Nafou Zorome  Burkina Faso
Men's freestyle 86 kg	Siny Sembène  Senegal	Aboubacar Ibrahim Mahaman  Niger	Barthelemy Tshosha  DR Congo
Men's freestyle 92 kg	Cédric Abossolo  Cameroon	Mihai Nicolae Palaghia  Romania	Tommy Thomas Mabruki  DR Congo
Men's freestyle 97 kg	Aron Isomi Mbo  DR Congo	Askerkhan Khounkaev  France	Aiden Kenneth Stevenson  Canada
Men's freestyle 125 kg	Modou Faye  Senegal	Reagan Mabuba  DR Congo	Gires Tebou  Cameroon
Women's freestyle 50 kg	Emma Luttenauer  France	N'De Caroline Yapi  Ivory Coast	Ana Maria Pîrvu  Romania
			Chancelvie Gomba  DR Congo
Women's freestyle 53 kg	Beatrice Ionela Ferent  Romania	Lilya Cohen  France	Mama Marie Sambou  Senegal
			Nguyễn Thị Oanh  Vietnam
Women's freestyle 55 kg	Miriam Drock Ngoe Wase  Cameroon	Makiese Prisca Madunu  DR Congo	not awarded
Women's freestyle 57 kg	Zineb Hassoune  Morocco	Faten Hammami  Tunisia	Natacha Nabaina  Cameroon
Women's freestyle 59 kg	Siwar Bouseta  Tunisia	Kateryna Zhydachevska  Romania	Amel Rebiha  France
Women's freestyle 62 kg	Aleah Noelle Nickel  Canada	Diwa Mervedie Mbemba  DR Congo	Salmantou Coulibaly  Burkina Faso
Women's freestyle 65 kg	Amina Roxana Capezan  Romania	Blandine Nyeh Ngiri  Cameroon	Vivian Mei Kutnowski  New Brunswick
Women's freestyle 68 kg	Katie Nichole Mulkay  Canada	Berthe Etane Ngolle  Cameroon	Adina Ionela Irimia  Romania
Women's freestyle 72 kg	Maria Larisa Niţu  Romania	Nyla Raeleen Burgess  Canada	Elena Sehic  New Brunswick
			Danielle Sino Guemde  Cameroon
Women's freestyle 76 kg	Cătălina Axente  Romania	Amy Youin  Ivory Coast	Erica Déborah Ngakali  Congo

References

1. "KINSHASA 2023". Jeux de la Francophonie. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
2. "New Brunswick will officially host the 2021 Francophonie Games". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
3. Jacques Poitras (30 January 2019). "New Brunswick cancels plan to host 2021 Francophonie Games". CBC. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
4. "Francophonie Games in Kinshasa moved back to 2022". 23 April 2020.
5. "Francophonie Games in Kinshasa moved back to 2022". Inside the Games. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
6. "Delays forces Francophone Games postponement for second time". 11 February 2022.
7. "Le Québec n'enverra pas d'athlètes ni d'artistes aux Jeux de la Francophonie". Radio Canada (in French). 27 June 2023. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
8. "Dans un contexte d'incertitude, le N.-B. réduit sa délégation aux Jeux de la Francophonie". Radio Canada (in French). 8 June 2023. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
9. "Kinshasa confronté à plusieurs désistements aux Jeux de la Francophonie". l'Equipe (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
10. "Présentation de la France (Guadeloupe)". Jeux de la Francophonie. 10 November 2015. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
11. "New Brunswick now only bidder for 2021 Games of La Francophonie". Government of New Brunswick. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
12. "Hosting 2021 Francophonie games 'almost a done deal,' says Moncton". CBC News. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
13. Magee, Shane (15 December 2018). "The 2021 Francophonie Games mess, explained". CBC. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
14. "Call for bids to revive 2021 Francophonie Games after New Brunswick axes event". National Post. Canadian Press. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
15. "Team Canada is on its way to the 2023 Games of La Francophonie in Kinshasa". Newswire. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023. Quebec announced on June 27 that it would not be sending any artists or athletes to the 2023 Kinshasa Games.
16. Dufresne, Julie (19 July 2023). "Ottawa enverra une délégation aux Jeux de la Francophonie malgré les risques". CBC Radio Canada (in French). Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
17. "À Kinshasa, des Jeux de la francophonie sous haute tension". jeune afrique (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
18. "Pourquoi Nicolas Kazadi épingle la gestion des Jeux de la francophonie en RDC". jeune afrique (in French). Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
19. "ÉTATS ET GOUVERNEMENTS PARTICIPANTS". Jeux de la Francophonie (in French). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
20. "PAYS PARTICIPANTS". Jeux de la Francophonie. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
21. "SITES SPORTIFS". Jeux de la Francophonie. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
22. "SITES CULTURELS". Jeux de la Francophonie. Retrieved 24 December 2023.

External links

• Official site (in French)
• 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie on X
• Opening ceremony