Dakar — Fifty-one countries have so far confirmed their participation at the fourth Francophonie Games slated for 14-24 July 2001 in Ottawa- Hill, Canada, the organising committee has said.

Benoit Hubert, deputy director-general of the organising committee, told a press conference that all Francophone African countries, except the Democratic Republic of Congo, have confirmed their participation.

Some 5,000 athletes and officials are expected at the sporting and cultural games, estimated to cost about 40 million Canadian dollars.

The first three editions were held in 1989 in Rabat, Morocco, 1994 in Paris, France, and 1997 in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

The sporting component includes athletics, basketball, football, boxing, judo, beach volleyball, and sports for the disabled.

At the cultural level, there are competitions in singing, traditional dancing, poetry, sculpture, painting, and photography.

The games would be preceded by the Super Francofete, festival to be staged 24 June to 24 July 2001.

Hubert said the organisers were working to raise the level of athletics competitions by setting minimum standards for the athletes.

He added that a meeting of officials from the International Amateur Athletics Federation would be held to promote the games and ensure massive participation.

Canadian sprinter Bruno Surin has been chosen as the Francophonie ambassador in a move aimed at wooing the best athletes to take part.

Hubert also said that the Canadian International Development Agency has decided to pay for the transportation of contingents from the developing countries.

However, each country will still have to pay the mandatory participation fee of 10,000 French francs.

Dakar is the second stage of Hubert's tour, which has already taken him to Guinea, and includes Niger and Cote d'Ivoire.