A leader with a background in discipline, youth development and coaching, Mario Pragassen takes charge of the National Sports Council at a defining moment for Seychelles sport.
His professional journey gives him a somewhat different profile from that of a traditional sports administrator, but sport is not an unfamiliar environment to him. With more than 21 years of experience across the public and private sectors, his experiences have placed discipline, leadership, risk management, accountability and institutional integrity at the centre of his professional life.
This mix gives the new CEO an understanding of sport from both sides of the equation — from the administrative and institutional perspective, but also from the field, where young athletes are identified, coached, encouraged and developed, rightfully his area of expertise.
His leadership therefore comes at the opportune time when clearer pathways from schools and community sport to competitive sport, national teams and elite competition are very much in need of prioritising. And who better to deliver these than a man who already believes young athletes must know where their sporting journey can take them.