Ninth All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria-Team Seychelles settle down despite hiccups |11 July 2007

AS is the case in most big Games, the organizers of the ninth edition of the All-Africa Games are far from having everything under control.  Yesterday, on the eve of the official opening ceremony, Team Seychelles' chef de mission James Barreau had still not have time to see all the athletes because they are staying far apart.

The athletes have been separated into four groups  -- volleyball; table tennis; sailing; swimming, badminton, cycling, athletics, boxing and weightlifting.

The second contingent of Seychellois athletes who arrived in Algeria's capital city of Algiers, the host of the Ninth All-Africa Games, found that it isn't always easy traveling for international meets.

Following their arrival at the new Houari Boumadyane Airport on the outskirts of Algiers on Monday morning after a stop-over in Paris, France, on Sunday night, it took the local sportsmen and women almost eight hours by bus to arrive at the place they would be staying. This was because the driver either took the wrong route or was given the wrong
instruction.

With a lot of equipment, which included bicycles, spare wheels and their luggage, local cyclists had to be helped by other members of the delegation to carry their load.

Although organizational hiccups are normal in all Games, it is expected the situation will improve once everyone has settled down and ready to begin competing.

Yesterday the workers were putting the final touches to the "Stade 5 juillet" which is to host the opening ceremony today at 6.30 p.m. (9.30 p.m. Seychelles time).

Reached by telephone, local boxing coach Jerry Legras said that his boxers, who flew in to Algiers directly from Cuba where they attended a training camp, are coping with the situation despite having to wait for a long time to have breakfast and lunch at times.

According to some athletes who have participated in past editions of the Games, it is common for athletes to wait for a long time before being served breakfast, lunch and dinner.

As for physiotherapist Yvonne Legaie, she noted that the "athletes are doing quite fine at the moment, but we were hoping that everyone would be together to make our work a little easier."
It seems that the main issue right now in Algiers is poor communication. Until Monday afternoon, journalists covering the Games had not received their accreditation badges and each time they went to the office of the organizing committee, they were told to come later.

This situation is quite complicated as football matches for the Games have already started.

In the first two women's matches played on Monday, Ghana beat Algeria 2-1 and South Africa played a 2-2 draw with Nigeria.