2024 African Athletics Championships: Ta Lou slams 'fiasco' in Cameroon
The African Athletics Championships, which got under way on Friday, have been hit by serious organisational problems. Ta Lou has spoken out.
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African athletics is going through one of the most troubled episodes in its history. The 23rd edition of the African Championships, staged at the Japoma Sports Complex in Douala, has drawn sharp criticism over the quality of the organisation. Between disorganised transport and chaotic accreditation, the competition has been hit by serious problems that jeopardise athletes' performances and the reputation of the event. The first athlete to voice her disappointment was Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith. "I am hurt and disappointed", the Ivorian sprinter wrote on X.
Vehicles with a mind of their own?
"My team has to take a Yango (taxi) to get to the stadium because the transport is awful," said the world runner-up over 100 m and 200 m (2017). "I feel like crying! On top of that, while we're in the taxi, we see another African team in a vehicle, with a police escort. Why not do that for everyone?". According to media sources, some teams of athletes were not given access to the vehicles chartered by the organisers.
"The vehicle drivers don't seem to have a set schedule", a colleague told Sport News Africa. "They collect athletes from their respective hotels and take them to the competition venue in a disorganised way, sometimes depending on their mood". The result: "There are athletes who arrived at the complex 5 minutes before the start of competition. Some couldn't even warm up", another added.
Accreditation problems
Having made their own way from their gathering points to the Japoma Complex at their own expense, most athletes then went through an ordeal to obtain accreditation. "We witnessed total chaos", our source continues. "The athletes struggled to get their badges. It's deplorable. It's a failure, a big fat zero for the organisation". Marie-Josée Ta Lou Smith expressed her dismay: "There are so many things I would like to say about the organisation of the African championships".
Paris 2024 in sight
The 23rd African Athletics Championships, bringing together 49 countries in Douala, are hugely important for the competitors. Not only are there medals to be won at continental level, but also places at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Arthur Wandji