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Athletics Championship : Cameroon’s Preparation at Standstill (07.08.2003)
The Cameroonian delegation, that was expected in Paris last Friday for a three-week camping ahead of the event, is still scattered around the world.
Cameroon’s preparations for the 9th World Athletics Championship billed for Stade de France, Paris St Dennis, from August 23 to 31 is at a standstill. According to the President of Cameroon Athletics Federation, Edjoa Augustin, the Cameroonian delegation that was expected in Paris on August 01, 2003 for a three week champing, is still scattered all around the world. "We have financial problems which have made it impossible for us to be in France now", Edjoa Austin told Cameroon Tribune in a telephone conversation yesterday. The President, who is still in Garoua where the 6th African Junior Championship in Athletics took place (from July 31 to August 03, 2003), says it is not yet certain how many athletes will represent the country in this world class athletics jamboree. What is however certain is that about 20 athletes were to participate in the camping in France. "The final selection will be done after we assess the performance of each athlete", he explained.
As of now, it is already clear that the Cameroon Athletics Federation will count on the talents of both home-based athletes and those of international renown resident abroad. Already, three local athletes were selected during the Junior Championship hosted by Cameroon in Garoua last week. Emmanuel Ngom Priso, Adam Idrissa and Delphine Bertile Atangana, will join their seniors to defend the colours of the country in the French expedition. Meanwhile some Cameroonian athletes in the diaspora such as Mireille Nguimgo, Françoise
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Mbango, Joseph Batang Don and Noah Ahanda, are already in France. Bengono II Serge and Ngappout Jean Francis resident in the United States of America, are already on their way. The participation of Mani Lionie, accused for doping, is not yet certain. "Since the verdict has not yet been given, we consider she is still part of us. If all goes well she will be with us", Edjoa Augustin explained. These problems notwithstanding, Cameroonian athletes are poised to give their best in the competition. "The athletes and trainers have a lot of ambition", the President of the Athletics Federation says.
Nobody had however foreseen such a delay in preparations as things had been careful mapped out from the start. A programme for the preparation of Cameroon’s athletes was well elaborated. According to this programme, the delegation (comprising 20 athletes, four trainers, a medical doctor and a kinestherapist) was supposed to be in France for a three week camping from August 01 to 21, 2003. A protocol agreement was already signed with the mayor of the French town to host the team. A mission to inspect the facilities available at the camping site was already done. Besides training, the camping period was also to be a moment for the athletes to acquaint themselves with the climate of Paris.
The World Athletics Championship organised by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) is the biggest sporting rendez-vous in that discipline. About 2000 athletes from 210 countries are expected to participate in this edition. The athletes will be vying for gold in track and field events, road running races, cross country races and race walking events.
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