SCSA CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS OF ALL AFRICA GAMES

The Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) on Saturday expressed satisfaction at the preparations so far for the 10th edition of the All Africa Games, due to be held in Maputo in September 2011.At the end of the second joint meeting between the SCSA, representatives of its member associations and the organizing committee for the Maputo games (COJA), the SCSA issued a communiqué indicating that its inspection team was satisfied with progress so far, but warned “there is still a lot of work to be accomplished, particularly on the Games village and other new projects”.The inspectors, said the communiqué, “recommended that there be strict monitoring of contractors so as to complete projects within the set deadlines”.The inspection team included members not only from the SCSA Secretariat, but also from the association of African Sport Confederations (AASC), the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), The SCSA Medical Commissions, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).COJA reported to the meeting “that mechanisms were being put in place to provide for transport, protocol, accreditation, catering, medical and doping tests that will meet international standards”. The meeting urged COJA to ensure that “strict deadlines be observed for the construction of new sport infrastructure as well as for the rehabilitation of existing sport and other infrastructure”.To cut out red tape, the meeting suggested that the accreditation card for the games should also be used as an entry visa, and as a transit visa for teams crossing neighbouring countries.The SCSA and CPOJA also reminded any member countries who have not yet confirmed their participation in the 2011 games “to do so immediately”. At the closing session, the Mozambican Minister of Youth and Sport, Pedrito Caetano, admitted that the current international situation, in the wake of a major financial crisis, might be a challenge, but was not an impassable obstacle.“We recognise that the macro-economic environment that the world, and our country in particular, are passing through is to some extent a constraint. Nonetheless, it can be overcome”, he said.