The technical director of Botswana’s athletics team, Patrick Moesi, has expressed frustration over the numerous false starts experienced by athletes during the 2026 African Athletics Championships.

According to him, the frequency of false starts in running events is unacceptable, as it negatively affects athletes’ performances and leaves them frustrated.

He also raised concerns about the absence of immediate results after races, noting that delays in releasing results prevent athletes and coaches from knowing their standings and planning ahead.

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Speaking in an interview with TV3, Moesi questioned the organizers’ inability to resolve these setbacks and called for better treatment of athletes.

“I don’t know whether they are beyond the control of the organizers or what. Things like timing, it seems to me there might be a problem. There have been too many false starts, which doesn’t seem right and may affect the performances of the athletes.

"For us, the main problem has been the absence of results. At this level, you would expect that as soon as the athletes finish their competition, we are able to get the results instantly. That way, we can plan ahead and athletes can prepare for the next round of competitions,” he said.

The Botswana athletics director further criticised the lack of screens at the venue to display live results, a standard feature at most athletics meets, which he said is affecting coaches’ ability to work effectively.

“Results management has been a problem. The fact that we do not have live screens here to see results as events end is a big issue. We are not able to plan ahead. My coaches are out there, and they don’t know what to tell the athletes. That is not something we expected,” he added.

The African Athletics Championships have faced widespread criticisms from officials, journalists, and fans over the absence of results and the high rate of false restarts in some events.

It is worth noting that a screen displaying time of athletes has been installed at the UG Stadium amid the growing concerns.

Watch the video below:

There's been too many false starts. The main problem has been the absence of results. The fact that we do not have live screens here to see results is a big problem for us - Patrick Moesi, technical director, Botswana Athletics. #3Sports #SportsDaily pic.twitter.com/UQ1q6k4idF

— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) May 14, 2026