DAPHNE, Ala. — Gabon’s minister of education and minister of culture, youth and sport led a delegation of seven visitors discussing sport and observing the local sport culture in a visit hosted by the United States Sports Academy.

Seraphin Moundounga, minister of National Education and Higher Education, and René Ndémézo’o Obiang, minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, visited the academy, attended three sporting events, and observed a physical-education class during a two-day visit.

The academy formalized an agreement with Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba, the president of Gabon, in March 2010, to bring its sport-education programs to the nation. Under the agreement, the academy will send a team of experts to Gabon to assess the current state of facilities, equipment, programs and staff qualifications, as well as other associated aspects of Gabon’s sport program in late October. 

The delegation from the Central African nation observed the local sport activities by attending the Fairhope-Baldwin County high school football game, and then watching a youth soccer game Saturday morning before attending the South Alabama-Nicholls State college football game that afternoon.

Friday morning, the visitors attended a demonstration of hyperbaric oxygen therapy equipment, which was presented to the academy faculty and staff by Dr. Michelle Riello and former University of Kansas women’s basketball coach Marianne Washington.

After a tour of the academy and the American Sport Art Museum and Archives, the visitors met with Academy Vice President Dr. T.J. Rosandich to discuss their country’s sport programs.