Tanzania pulls out of African Athletics C’ship

NAIROBI: Tanzania have pulled out the African Athletics Championships in Nigeria due to what it called poor organisation and security concerns in the west African nation.

Tanzania was expected to send five athletes to the biennual championships in the southern city of Asaba, but officials said they were dissatisfied with the poor travelling plans to the event, as well as the threat of insecurity from extremist groups in the region. The lead-up to the event, which was due to have gotten under way on August 1, has seen more than 300 athletes from 20 countries stranded for two days in Lagos, without flight connections to Asaba.

Kenya, represented by 60 athletes, also saw their travel plans affected with pictures shown of athletes and officials sleeping rough at Lagos airport.Kenyan officials said the team were to travel to Asaba on Thursday for the rescheduled championships.