Deputy Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Veronica Commey, has dismissed reports alleging that athletes at the ongoing 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships are being subjected to food rationing at the Games Village.
The allegations were raised earlier this week by South African shot put athlete Aiden Smith, who claimed competitors were not being adequately fed during the championship.
Addressing journalists at a press conference on Thursday, Mrs Commey said investigations conducted by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) found the claims to be false.
“On the issue of feeding, I would like to emphasise that the earlier reports from the athletes on the rationing of food have been independently verified to be false,” she stated.
Mrs Commey also dismissed reports suggesting that pole vault equipment that snapped during competition had been supplied by organisers of the championship.
According to her, all equipment being used at the competition belongs to the athletes and not the organisers.
“It has come to the attention of the LOC that there are reports claiming the vaults that snapped during the pole vault event were provided by the organisers,” she said.
“I would like to categorically and firmly state that this narrative is completely false. All vaults being used at the Championships are owned by the individual athletes,” she added.
