Luanda — The Executive Secretary of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC), Stanley Mutoya, on Wednesday in Luanda praised Angola's high level of organizational capacity by hosting, for the first time, the 8th edition of the Southern African Regional Sports Awards Gala (RASA).
Speaking at the official press conference presenting the event, which will take place on Saturday in Luanda, the official highlighted the Angolan government's commitment to the development of sport in the region.
Stanley Mutoya thanked the Secretary of State for Sport and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Rui Falcão, for the support, emphasizing that holding the gala in Angola represents "a historic moment" for Region 5 of Africa.
According to the AUSC director, the initiative, created in 2016 in South Africa, aims to honor athletes, coaches, and leaders who have raised the profile of their countries in continental and world competitions.
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Stanley Mutoya expressed satisfaction with the ongoing preparations in Luanda, considering that the Angolan capital has the conditions to host "a memorable and glamorous gala."
He said this year's edition will feature representatives from nine of the ten member countries of Region 5, a fact considered a milestone for the organization and that the nominees for the regional awards are winners of the national galas of their respective countries, and are subsequently evaluated by an independent jury, in a process subject to auditing by a specialized company.
The first three editions took place in South Africa, followed by Namibia in 2019. After the interruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the event returned in 2023 in Eswatini, then Zambia in 2024, and Zimbabwe in 2025.
The 2026 Regional Annual Sports Awards gala is part of the Africa Month celebrations and is themed "Celebrating Excellence and Inspiring Innovation".
Angola will be represented in this edition by Paralympic sprinter Juliana Moko, in the T11 class (visual impairment), and judoka Rosiana Alberto, in the cadet category under 44 kg. BSV/WR/AMP