BY    Tony Ubani
Every new day in the on-going All Africa Games throws up challenges to the participating countries. And Nigerian officials, despite their spirited efforts at cushioning things for their athletes, are full of hisses and sighs for the organizers of the Games.

President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, Engineer Sani Ndanusa confessed yesterday that the events in Maputo do not measure up to the standard of All Africa Games.

“We’ve been holding series of meetings and all the countries are complaining of one thing or the other. It is sad. Where do I start to assess the Games?”, Ndanusa asked but noted that things would be better when ANOCA takes over the organization of the All Africa Games.

“These things cannot happen if ANOCA are in charge of the Games”.

Nigeria’s chef de Mission, Alhassan Yakmut also regretted the poor conditions and difficulties. “I thought I was coming here to apply my experience and make things work. There is no way you can apply anything here. They make you adapt to their own things”. Yakmut, however, exonerated Mozambique from the chaotic situation and blamed Zambia’s withdrawal from hosting as the major reason for the crisis.

“Mozambique is not to blame. They came into the frame two years ago when Zambia pulled out and I think that two years are not enough to meet up with all the facilities and arrangements for the All Africa Games”. He noted that Team Nigeria stands out as they have been provided with everything for their comfort.

“The Minister of Sports, Alhaji Yussuf Suleiman directed that we should not wait for the organizers in providing for our athletes needs.

And we have gone out to buy tables, refrigerators for medicals, chairs, massage beds and others. It is that bad but we are on top of the situation for Team Nigeria because we have our own intervention mechanism to checkmate their lapses. We don’t even wait for their official breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We take food to our athletes even at competition venues to avoid starving them or allowing them to be on queues and miss their events”.