QUALIFIERS TO ALL AFRICA GAMES DETERMINED
20 TEAMS IN THE STRONGEST EVER COMPETITION
The African National teams qualified to the 8th All Africa Games known to be held in Abuja-Nigeria 4-18 October 2003 were determined after the end of zonal qualifications. Ten men, and the same number of women teams will play in the finals with the expectations to be the strongest ever in the games’ history.
The 8th edition of All Africa Games will include 3 exempts the host country team (Nigeria), the previous hosts (South Africa) and the defending champions (Cameroon men and Kenya women), as well as the champions of the seven African zones.
MEN QUALIFIERS
In men competition, Algeria qualified as zone 1 champions without playing as Morocco team apologized of the qualifications supposed to be held in Algeria. Senegal was zone 2 representative after withdrawal of both Guinea and Mali. Ghana will be zone 3 representative after winning the qualifications held in Ouagadougou-Burkina Faso in presence of the host team.
Rwanda men team will represent zone 4 after winning the qualifications they organize in Kigali in absence of the strongest team in this zone-Cameroon- which was already qualified as defending champions. Egypt won the 4-nations qualifications of zone 5 in presence of the hosts Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia. Although South Africa won zone 6 qualifications held in Zimbabwe, Botswana the second qualified because the winners were exempt as the previous hosts to allow the second to find a place in the finals as zonal representative. Seychelles, supposed to host zone 7 qualifications was qualified after withdrawal of Madagascar
WOMEN QUALIFIERS
In women competition Algeria will represent zone 1 without qualifications and the same occurred in zone 2 with Senegal. Ghana will represent zone 3 after winning the competition held in Burkina against the hosts. Cameroon won zone 4 qualifications which was organized by Rwanda in presence of the organizers, Gabon, Chad and RD Congo.
Egypt qualified in zone 5 winning the qualifications it organized in presence of the only opponent, Ethiopia. Although South African team was zone 6 champion, it allowed Mozambique, the second to find a place in the final because South Africa already qualified as the previous host. Seychelles will be zone 7 representative after zonal qualifications supposed to be held in their lands was cancelled due to Madagascar withdrawal.