'We were given half an egg' - complaints mar African Athletics Championships in Ghana

The 2026 African Athletics Championships got off to a chaotic start in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday, 12 May, with athletes and journalists raising concerns over poor accommodation, food shortages, and inadequate working conditions despite the event attracting some of the continent’s top track and field stars.

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The championships, being staged at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, will run until Saturday, 17 May, bringing together more than 1,500 athletes and 500 officials from 54 countries to compete across 44 disciplines.

Day One featured some of the competition’s headline events, including the men’s 100m heats and semi-finals, women’s 100m semi-finals, and men’s and women’s 400m races. However, the excitement on the track was overshadowed by growing frustrations away from competition venues.

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South African shot putter Aiden Smith openly criticised the conditions athletes were subjected to upon arrival in Ghana.

“I expected a lot when we arrived here, but the experience has been disappointing. When we got to our rooms, the beds were leather. We were given sheets and pillows, but no blankets,” Smith told Joy Sports.

The athlete also lamented what he termed as poor basic amenities in the accommodation facilities.

“We also didn’t have air-conditioning remotes in the rooms. Every time we needed to adjust the air conditioning, we had to request the remote from reception. We weren’t allowed to keep it in the room after setting it.

There was no toilet paper, so we had to keep asking for it, and there was no warm water either; the water stayed at one temperature. In some rooms, the taps didn’t even work properly,” he added.

Smith further claimed that athletes struggled to access enough food, despite the demanding nature of competition.

“The food situation was also difficult. Whenever we went to eat, there were constant arguments with the staff about portions. We were only allowed one piece of chicken or one serving of fish, not both.

I kept explaining that we are athletes and we need to eat properly to perform, but they would still refuse. At one point, I had to push just to get two pieces of chicken,” he offered.

The breakfast menu, according to Smith, became a major talking point among athletes.

“Breakfast was no better. We were only given half an egg or one egg, and that was the limit. Back home, I can eat up to 20 eggs in the morning, and during the season, I normally have eight or nine. So being restricted to one egg was frustrating,” he said.

He also revealed that athletes had been informed they were expected to carry their own blankets.

“To make matters worse, we had no blankets while sleeping. My roommates and I were told we were supposed to bring our own blankets.

For an African Games championship, I honestly expected much better conditions. We were staying in a hostel without proper bedding, limited food, inconsistent water supply, and no fridges,” he averred.

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Despite the criticism, Smith praised the host nation itself.

“That said, I love Ghana. Ghana is amazing, and now that the competition is over, my friend and I will spend the next week exploring the country. But the living conditions during the event were simply not good enough,” he offered.

The complaints were not limited to athletes. Sports journalist Christopher Maduewesi also criticised the media working conditions at the championships.

“I would rather not speak about this championship, let me wait until I am out of Ghana,” Maduewesi posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account.

“By the way, this is the first African championship that I am covering, where journalists have been gleefully told to purchase their own data for the internet. Even as bad as Douala was, there was internet for journalists to work with,” he wrote.

Amid the off-track controversy, Kenya will still be hoping for a strong showing in Accra with a talented squad targeting medals across track and field events.

Among the athletes expected to impress are distance runners Brian Komen, Dorcus Chepkwemoi, Diana Chekemoi, and Diana Wanza, all of whom have enjoyed strong form this season.

Mathew Kipruto will compete in the men’s 10,000m while Kevin Chesang lines up in the 5,000m.

Kenya’s sprint team will be led by experienced runners Mark Otieno and Milcent Ndoro, alongside Dennis Mwai, Elkana Sabila, and Moses Wasike, who are expected to continue the legacy left by former sprint stars Meshack Babu and Mike Mokamba during the 2024 championships in Douala.

The relay team will also draw confidence from Samuel Chege, who recently impressed at the Ethiopia Grand Prix and was part of Kenya’s squad at the World Relays in Gaborone.

In the field events, veteran javelin thrower Julius Yego will be chasing a historic seventh continental title, while national high jump record holder Faith Kisang will compete in both the high jump and long jump.

Isaack Kimunu is another athlete tipped for medals in the triple jump and long jump, while decathlete Edwin Too will be hoping to improve on the bronze medal he won at the previous championships.