By Ben Efe

Athletics Federation of Nigeria officials have registered their displeasure at the decision by West African neighbors, Cote’d Ivoire and Ghana to shun the African Youth Athletics Championships, which begin on Mar 27 in Warri, Delta State.

The two front-line ECOWAS members are missing from the list of participating nations even as smaller countries like Somalia, Comoros Islands and Seychelles are sending at least two athletes to be part history at the maiden AYAC.

Ghana, about eight hours road trip to Nigeria had cited non availability of funds to send their athletes, while Cote’d Ivoire did not advance any reason.

“It is quite a shame that these two important ECOWAS member countries are not here. They are the only ones missing in the ECOWAS bloc. Togo, Benin, Senegal, Burkina Faso are all here.

“Because of this we might not be sending our athletes to the region two championships in Cote’d Ivoire later in the year,” said Athletics of of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba.

Egypt and Uganda were among the first set of delegates to arrive, others are being expected on Monday. 33 countries confirmed their participation in the championships, which the Confederation of Africa Athletics is using to promote the development of athletics from the grassroots in the the continent, this is with a view of catching up with the rest of the world.