Journalist Gary Al-Smith has publicly condemned the organisation of the ongoing 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, citing widespread operational challenges that he says are frustrating athletes, officials, and media personnel across the continent.

In a detailed post shared on his Facebook wall, Al-Smith described the situation as chaotic, pointing to recurring complaints about poor broadcast quality, inadequate infrastructure, and delays in publishing official race results.

“Our inboxes are flooded with angry messages because viewers are pissed at the quality of the feed, poor infrastructure, athletes complaining about their times, ChickenGate & so much more,” he wrote, highlighting growing dissatisfaction from stakeholders following the competition.

One of the most serious concerns raised has been the delay in releasing official timing results, with some athletes reportedly waiting up to an hour after events to access their performance data.

“What do you mean in 2026 you are hosting Athletics and people cannot find their times ONE HOUR after races? Why?” he questioned, reflecting the frustration shared by many observers.

Al-Smith further described the overall organisation as “a proper clusterfuck,” adding that feedback from colleagues across Africa had been overwhelmingly negative since the start of the championships.

He noted that concerns about Ghana’s preparedness to host such a major continental event were raised before the bid was approved, but those warnings were reportedly dismissed.

“As usual, we used our big mouths to warn government when they accepted to host the Games. Those of us who know things knew they were not, and would not, be ready,” he stated.

The journalist also suggested that the challenges were not isolated to this event, referencing previous sporting competitions hosted in Accra that were similarly criticised for organisational shortcomings.

He further questioned the planning and funding arrangements behind the tournament, suggesting that inadequate financial preparation may have contributed to the operational difficulties.

The controversy has now extended to broader discussions about Ghana’s future hosting commitments, including the planned U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, with growing calls for stricter assessment of readiness before accepting international tournaments.

Al-Smith warned that continued failures risk damaging Ghana’s reputation on the continental sports stage, particularly in areas such as event management, timing systems, and broadcast delivery.