All Africa Games: Journalists, guests groan over chaotic Games

It is a week into the All Africa Games, yet the  organizers COJA and the franchise owner of the event, the Association of Africa National Olympic Committee just can’t get it right.

Majority of the journalists covering the Games are doing so, without accreditation. And in gaining access to the event centres, they are made to pay the normal gate fees, being charged by the local organizing committee COJA. As if that is not enough, the media centres are non functional, the only thing going on, is the WIFI network at the main office of COJA.

“It has been a nightmare covering this event. Nothing seems to be working and the ANOCA officials are pretending as if everything is ok,” roared a Kenyan journalist here.

“And can you imagine? They told us that we have to wait till next week Friday, when the Games will close before we can get our tags. They probably want us to go home with it as souvenir.”

A group of Nigerian journalists led by President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Seidu Abubakar and chairman of the Lagos State chapter, Fred Edore were prevented from entering a hall where the volleyball contest was taking place.

“We haven’t got our accreditations, and we cannot just move anywhere. We can get into the buses going to Kintele, the main venue and transport fare down there is exorbitant,” lamented Yinka Adebayor.

A Congolese official in charge of accreditation stated that the process was reversed by the individual that was awarded the contract. “We have to jettison the online registration and make do with what we have. Now we have run out of cards.”

Report By,

Ben, Efe, Brazzaville, Congo

Source,

Vanguard News