The Young Tunisian Swimmer’s Defection and Change of Sporting Nationality Expose the Cumulative and Chronic Failings of Elite Management
La Presse — Beyond the emotional and borderline populist rhetoric surrounding the decision of young Tunisian swimmer Rami Rahmouni to compete for Saudi Arabia, and the false debate about the sincerity and reliability of his “clan,” we must ask the real question: Why did Rami Rahmouni act this way?
Although it sounds simple, this question touches the most sensitive and complex aspect of the problem.
A Weighty Decision, Not a Light Choice
A talented, promising swimmer who changes nationality and opts for another country does not make a trivial or carefree decision. It is a choice laden with consequences and meaning.
For a year now, Rahmouni had already decided to go to Saudi Arabia, enchanted by the luxury that was offered to him there. He knows that in Tunisia he would have little hope of progressing—because of limited financial resources, and especially because of the lack of proper support from his federation and its oversight.
When a member of the elite desertes in this manner, it proves that the elite‑management system has reached its limits.
A System That Has Been Failing for Years
The Tunisian sports administration has been faulty for years:
- Administrators disconnected from the sporting world.
- Bureaucratic procedures that stall progress.
- Massive delays in releasing meager budgets.
- Sponsors who cannot be convinced to invest 200,000 TND, even though they spend three times that amount (or more) on futile advertising campaigns, especially in football.
The core problem lies with federations and national technical directors—many of whom spend their time on paperwork and politics, forgetting their true mission. They cannot manage a handful of talents who need money and guidance to develop abroad. Meanwhile, a “bloated” Ministry of Sports, filled with out‑of‑step and incompetent officials, loves power and false promises.
Athletes Are Rarely Served Properly
High‑level athletes have almost never received the support they deserve. They are given only the bare minimum, with a chronic lack of ideas and communication that could bring in funding and improve their psychological balance. These athletes need someone to assist them, save them time, and help them shine on the international stage.
The President of the Tunisian Swimming Federation’s “Wooden Language”
Hedia Mansour, the new president of the Tunisian Swimming Federation (FTN), responded to Rahmouni’s decision with the classic, scripted discourse typical of Tunisian sports leaders.
Her remarks amounted to political “wooden language” and emotional statements, reciting— as is usual in such cases— a litany of numbers and allocated amounts that, even if accurate, represent practically nothing compared to the needs of a high‑level swimmer.
Mansour even claimed to be “shocked” by Rahmouni’s move. What shock is she referring to? The defection was predictable and will not be an isolated case. As long as these champions—who are initially discovered and progress thanks to their parents’ financial support—are not properly coached and followed up, international headhunters will continue to lure our athletes away.
Stop the Out‑of‑Touch, Senseless Narrative
We must stop this out‑of‑phase, nonsensical discourse that tries to shift blame onto intermediaries and those who “divert” our champions.
Give these athletes minimal yet respectable conditions of comfort, respect them, and only then criticize them when they leave.
What Needs to Change
Instead of repeatedly re‑configuring the worn‑out, biased elite model, chasing big sponsors, creating events, and tackling the miserable swimming and sports infrastructure in Tunisia, or appointing dedicated, knowledgeable technicians and leaders, the system falls back on the same old reflexes.
The Rami Rahmouni case will repeat itself as long as the true roots of the problem are not eradicated.
Keywords: Tunisian swimming, athlete defection, sports federation failure, elite management, Rami Rahmouni, Saudi Arabia, sports funding, Tunisia sports ministry, sports infrastructure, sponsor shortage
