The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will host the 9th edition of the Francophone Games in its capital city, Kinshasa, from July 28 to Aug. 6. This edition of the Games was initially scheduled for 2021 and postponed twice, first because of the Covid-19 pandemic, rescheduled to take place on Aug. 19-28, 2022, and then postponed again until 2023. This year’s event has three international ambassadors, including former football player Lilian Thuram, French basketball player Diandra Tchatchouang and Cameroonian table tennis player Sarah Hanffou. Earlier this month, Masano was unveiled as the official mascot for this year’s Francophone Games. Masano is a leopard, an animal that features on the emblem of the hosting country. The Jeux de la Francophonie (in English, the Francophone Games) are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the mostly French-speaking nations and former colonies of France. The event is held every four years since 1989.
