By Ben Efe
Athletics Federation of Nigeria has ruled out moving the All Nigeria Championships to Sapele, after athletes groaned over harsh conditions at the Warri Township Stadium track facility venue of the All Nigeria championships, which begins tomorrow.

Some of the foreign based athletes had made their observations known to the AFN concerning the tracks, which they claimed was difficult to produce a good performance on. But the AFN technical director, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama said the Warri Stadium tracks remain one of the best in the country and the meet, which is a trial selection for the World Championships next month in China and the All Africa Games billed for September in Congo will remain there.

“I am not aware of any plan to move the trials to Sapele, Warri is still the venue.

“The tracks at the Warri Stadium is one of the best in the country. It is more convenient for us to hold all the events in Warri,” Nesiama.

The athletes worry is down to the fact that the AFN has raised the bar for them. They are required to make the A standard of the world championships to book a place to Beijing. At the Warri Relays most of the athletes failed to hit the mark.

“It was down to jet lag. We expect them to put up a good performance in the trials,” added Nesiama.