Twenty-nine sports activities have been confirmed for the African Video games, with athletics, badminton, biking, swimming, desk tennis, tennis, triathlon and wrestling to function Olympic qualifiers for Paris 2024.
Nevertheless, the timing of the Video games means quite a lot of distinguished African opponents will select to not attend – an issue for these publicising the occasion, based on Dell’Oca.
“They have not been capable of market the photographs of many high African athletes as a result of there was an excessive amount of confusion as to who is definitely going to be competing,” Dell’Oca mentioned.
Former Kenyan volleyball participant Jannet Wanja, who’s now the ladies’s nationwide staff coach, additionally bemoaned the dearth of high-profile stars.
“The video games are sometimes held again with the absence of high athletes and stars who might add extra worth. The highest gamers are sometimes held again from coming. It is probably not serving to. We matter too as Africans,” she instructed BBC Sport Africa.
However, regardless of the challenges going through the occasion, she is optimistic of a profitable African Video games in Ghana.
“Most nations are nonetheless affected by the influence of the Covid pandemic and ranges of preparations are actually under what is anticipated, however I nonetheless hope for a profitable African Video games,” Wanja added.
Ojong says, regardless of the considerations over venues and services, all groups will face the identical points.
“If the LOC and worldwide federations validate the venues match for play, the groups simply should play on the venues the best way they’re,” he mentioned.
“Everyone goes to play on the identical venue, making everyone on the identical stage of issue, and it turns into a part of the sport.”