Lagos to host African Athletics Championships — after Algiers backed out

Lagos has been named the host city for the 22nd edition of the African Senior Athletics Championships.

The commercial hub of Nigeria will be hosting the championship for the second time since its inception in 1979.

The championship was originally meant to take place in Algiers, Algeria but the North African country backed out following the spread of COVID-19.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, Kalkaba Malboum, president of the Confederation of African Athletics, and Sunday Dare, Nigeria’s minister of youth and sports development, confirmed the selection of Lagos.

“Nigeria is poised to host the Championships in the megacity of Lagos from 23 June to 27 June, 2021, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, with auxiliary support to be provided at the National Stadium, Surulere and the Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, both in Lagos,” the statement said.

“Following the meeting between the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development of Nigeria, Sunday Dare and the President of the Confederation of African Athletics, Kalkaba Malboum, in Cairo on 24 May, 2021, issues relating to the hosting of the 21st African Athletics Championships in Nigeria, were fully deliberated upon and modalities for a successful hosting of the Championships were carefully mapped out.

“The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Confederation of African Athletics, are fully committed and working in synergy towards the delivery of a world-class Championships.

“In the coming days, more comprehensive details regarding the successful hosting of the Championships in Lagos, Nigeria, will be made public.”

Nigeria is the second African country after Egypt to have hosted the championship three times.