ANOCA are set to provide support to assist athletes qualification to Tokyo 2020 ©Ghana Olympic Committee

The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) have launched a programme aimed at assisting African countries to improve their medal haul at Tokyo 2020.

ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf was present at a workshop in Burkina Faso held as part of the initiative.

Berraf, elected ANOCA President in November, opened the workshop titled "The Road to Tokyo 2020".

The Algerian vowed to provide countries with support to help them achieve medal success at next year’s Olympic Games.

This will include backing of $1 million (£770,000/€880,000) from ANOCA, with the organisation having voted to provide the funding.

It is hoped the fund will support athletes from the continent to qualify for the Olympic Games.

The fund is also designed to help motivate athletes to win medals, it is claimed.

The workshop was open to member countries in Africa zone three.

Officials from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Niger and Togo were present at the event.

ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf was present at an workshop in Burkina Faso ©Ghana Olympic Committee
ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf was present at an workshop in Burkina Faso ©Ghana Olympic Committee

ANOCA have also vowed to hold a training camp for athletes from Africa to assist their qualification for the Games.

The training camp is expected to take place over a three-month period.

ANOCA are also expected to establish a Tokyo 2020 Commission to lead African preparations for next year’s Games.

Only four countries from Africa won Olympic gold medals at Rio 2016.

The most successful country were Kenya.

They won a total of 13 medals, including six gold, all in athletics, to place 15th overall.

South Africa won 10 medals, two of them gold.

Ethiopia and Ivory Coast each won one gold medal.