The Press — We Do Not Intend to Question the Credibility of Decisions Made by a Tutelage
But the problem of swimming is so important that the adage "once burned, twice shy" prompts us to ask a number of questions. Indeed, on the evening of November 27, 2025, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sadek Mourali, chaired a working meeting dedicated to monitoring the situation of Tunisia's most prominent swimmers, including international and Olympic athletes of high level. "Specifically, the meeting focused on the situation of Tunisian swimming champions Ahmed Ayoub Hafnaoui, Ahmed Jaouadi, and Rami Rahmouni, as well as their French coach, Philippe Lucas. This demonstrates the ministry's commitment to providing a favorable environment for high-level athletes, ensuring they receive the necessary material, logistical, medical, and psychological support to guarantee their success both nationally and internationally, and to represent Tunisia in the best possible way." This is perfect. However, similar measures have been taken on other occasions, and changes in administrative personnel, both within the federation and the ministry, have called everything into question. Those who have been appointed have either neglected this file or started from scratch. This has caused turmoil, with fluctuations that nearly cost us two gold medals at the last World Championship. How can we explain that it was a group of Tunisians living abroad who took matters into their own hands, addressed the urgent issues, and ultimately saved the situation? Answering this question would explain the shortcomings that cannot be justified by lengthy explanations and empty rhetoric. In conclusion, we return to our suggestion, which is not genius and is used by all countries that possess valuable talent in all disciplines. These countries do not entrust these files (social cases, psychological interventions, medical interventions and follow-ups, retraining, etc.) to the federation or a "direction." A specialized service, with all the faculties of intervention, which only deals with these elements, is in place to resolve all problems quickly. It is responsible for everything, vis-à-vis the competent authorities, and all doors are open to it. Better still, this service allows itself to ask questions about what "could hinder the preparation of this super elite." It anticipates, takes the lead, and acts to ensure that there is never a dead period. Is it so difficult to adopt this approach so that the dissolution of a federation or the change of a director is not a prediction of catastrophe? So that these ridiculous gestures cease, which make us think that we have two entities that celebrate our victories in their own way? To our knowledge, there is only one indivisible national sport. It is time to return to better sentiments, to consult, and to decide, with full knowledge of the facts, on everything that could help us move forward. Without this accountability, it is permissible to have doubts.
