Journalists Clash With GAA President Over Conditions at African Senior Athletics Championship
Tensions flared between sports journalists and Ghana Athletics Association (GAA) President Bawah Fuseini during a press interaction at the ongoing 24th CAA African Senior Athletics Championship in Accra, as members of the media complained about poor working conditions at the event.
Journalists covering the continental championship raised concerns over unstable internet connectivity, lack of seating, inadequate access to official competition information and overcrowding within media areas at the stadium.
One journalist described the situation at the press centre as unacceptable, saying, “The issue of journalist welfare is a matter of concern because you look at the press centre, internet is not working, journalists don’t feel comfortable there.”
Others also complained about the absence of sockets for charging equipment and unrestricted access to designated media spaces, which they argued was affecting their work.
Photographers at the event further criticized organizers for failing to provide detailed start lists with athletes’ bib numbers, making it difficult to identify competitors during events.
“You can ask all the photographers how many photographers have access to the start list with the bib numbers,” one journalist said. “Even on the website, there is a start list with no bib numbers.”
Another added that official results and competition details were either delayed or inaccessible to many media houses covering the championship.
In response, Fuseini admitted there had been challenges but insisted that organizers were working to resolve all concerns raised by the media and participants.
“I would like to assure everyone here that we have taken notice of what happened yesterday and we have taken steps to address all those issues,” he said.
Fuseini initially defended the availability of internet services at the venue, stating: “We have internet. If you say internet is not working today, then bring it to our notice. We will address it.”
However, after further complaints from journalists, he acknowledged the connectivity problems and promised immediate action.
“The internet, I know it is not working. Then we will fix it tomorrow,” he assured.
On concerns over access to start lists, Fuseini maintained that the documents were available but admitted there may have been distribution challenges.
“The start list is always there. I don’t know why you don’t get it,” he said. “So if you don’t have access to the start list, let’s sort it out tomorrow in the morning before the afternoon session.”
Despite the heated exchanges, the GAA President remained confident that Ghana would successfully host the championship.
“I’m assuring the whole Africa and I’m assuring Ghanaians that this competition is going to be successful,” Fuseini stated. “Each time there’s concern, we are ready to address it.”
The ongoing championship has drawn athletes and officials from across Africa, with competition continuing in Accra amid efforts by organizers to improve conditions at the venue.